Safe driving in a green world: a review of driver performance benchmarks and technologies to support ‘smart’ driving.

Road transport is a significant source of safety and environmental concerns. With climate change and fuel prices increasingly prominent on social and political agendas, many drivers are turning their thoughts to fuel efficient or ‘green’ (i.e., environmentally friendly) driving practices. Many vehicle manufacturers are satisfying this demand by offering green driving feedback or advice tools. However, there is a legitimate concern regarding the effects of such devices on road safety – both from the point of view of change in driving styles, as well as potential distraction caused by the in-vehicle feedback.

This paper appraises the benchmarks for safe and green driving, concluding that while they largely overlap, there are some specific circumstances in which the goals are in conflict. It goes on to review current and emerging in-vehicle information systems which purport to affect safe and/or green driving, and discuss some fundamental ergonomics principles for the design of such devices. The results of the review are being used in the Foot-LITE project, aimed at developing a system to encourage ‘smart’- that is safe and green – driving.