A review of HMI issues experienced by early adopters of low carbon vehicles

Low carbon vehicles offer a means of reducing carbon emissions and thereby helping sustainability. However, their rapid introduction, accompanied by new IT capabilities (for example in wireless and sensor technology and cloud computing) has meant that there has been little opportunity to fully consider the nature of the eco-driving task, the added demands it places on drivers, the HMI requirements and the development of a road infrastructure that can support anxiety free driving. This research considered the experiences of early adopters through a review of blogs, news articles, reviews by motoring journalists and reports of trials, and interviews with those who had taken part in a nationwide UK trial. Common themes emerged relating to range anxiety, problems with charging, feedback from the vehicles and the adaptations drivers need to make to their driving descriptions in order to use the vehicles effectively. The most serious concern for inexperienced drivers was whether the range of their vehicle would be sufficient for their needs. More experienced drivers learnt to plan journeys to take account of the limited range. Reliable feedback about the range and charging status helped drivers to adapt their behaviour and use their vehicles effectively