either (1) the vehicle's engine is not running, or (2) the vehicle's
transmission is in ``Park'' (automatic transmission vehicles) or the
vehicle's transmission is in ``Neutral'' and the parking brake is on
(manual transmission vehicles).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

     Visual-manual text messaging,
     Visual-manual internet browsing,
     Visual-manual social media browsing,
     Visual-manual navigation system destination entry by
address, and
     Visual-manual 10-digit phone dialing.
    The NHTSA Guidelines are expected to have little impact on current
vehicle designs. For many current vehicles, the only integrated
electronic device that is not required for driving is the stereo system
(radio and CD player). Based on the research that was performed in
support of the development these NHTSA Guidelines, integrated stereo
systems would either already meet, or be easily modifiable to meet,
these NHTSA Guidelines. For integrated electronic devices other than
the stereo system, if such devices are incorporated into vehicles built
by Alliance member companies (as well as some non-Alliance vehicle
manufacturers), then they are already covered by that organization's
guidelines. Since the NHTSA Guidelines share many common elements with
the Alliance Guidelines, NHTSA believes that many devices/vehicles
would either meet the recommendations of its NHTSA Guidelines or be
close to doing so.
    The NHTSA Guidelines are expected to have a larger impact on future
devices that are integrated into vehicles. For future integrated
original equipment devices, these NHTSA Guidelines are expected to
encourage simple visual-manual driver interfaces. They should also help
encourage the introduction of visual-manual non-driving tasks into the
vehicle that are not unreasonably distracting. Research by Ford Motor
Company \116\ and VTTI \117\ has shown

reductions in Total Eyes-Off-Road Time through the use of an auditory-
vocal driver-vehicle interface. As a result, NHTSA anticipates that
manufacturers may consider relying more on auditory-vocal interactions
for task performance in future device designs.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \116\ Shutko, J., Mayer, K., Laansoo, E., and Tijerina, L.,
``Driver Workload Effects of Cell Phone, Music Player, and Text
Messaging Tasks with the Ford SYNC Voice Interface versus Handheld
Visual-Manual Interfaces,'' Ford Motor Company, SAE Paper 2009-01-
0786, 2009.
    \117\ Owens, J. M., McLaughlin, S. B., and Sudweeks, J., ``On-
Road Comparison of Driving Performance Measures When Using Handheld
and Voice-Control Interfaces for Mobile Phones and Portable Music
Players,'' Virginia Tech Transportation Institute, SAE Paper 2010-
0101036, April 2010.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The goal of the NHTSA Guidelines is not to prevent drivers from
performing activities that they wish to perform while driving; instead,
the goal is to improve vehicle safety. These NHTSA Guidelines identify
only a few, clearly safety-detrimental tasks as ones that should not be
accessible to a driver while operating a vehicle. NHTSA believes that,
with thoughtful interface engineering and appropriate application of
well designed auditory-vocal interfaces, drivers can continue to
perform most of the activities that they wish to perform while driving
and also have improved vehicle safety.
    As previously stated, for many current vehicles, the only
integrated electronic device that is not required for driving is the
stereo system (radio and CD player). Based on the research that was
performed in support of the development the NHTSA Guidelines, many
current integrated stereo systems already meet the recommendations of
the NHTSA Guidelines. Other stereos would need to be modified so as to
reduce their Total Eyes-Off-Road Time (TEORT) to perform a manual radio
tuning to meet these NHTSA Guidelines. NHTSA does not know what
percentage of existing integrated stereo systems would need to be
redesigned. Nor do we know by how much the recommended stereo system
modifications should improve safety. However, the recommended changes
to existing integrated electronic devices would be expected to have a
small but positive impact on vehicle safety.
    For integrated electronic devices other than the stereo system
(when they exist), if such devices are installed into vehicles built by
Alliance member companies (as well as some non-Alliance vehicle
manufacturers), then they are already covered by that organization's
guidelines. Since the NHTSA Guidelines share many common elements with
the Alliance Guidelines, many existing in-vehicle devices already
either meet the recommendations of the NHTSA Guidelines or would be
close to doing so. As a result, the NHTSA Guidelines are expected to
encourage only minimal revisions to existing, integrated, original
equipment devices. Therefore, the NHTSA Guidelines are expected to have
only small benefits for many current, integrated, in-vehicle advanced
electronic devices.
    The NHTSA Guidelines could have a larger impact on future devices
that are integrated into vehicles. For future integrated original
equipment devices, these NHTSA Guidelines encourage simpler visual-
manual driver interfaces and task performance. They should also help
encourage the introduction of visual-manual non-driving tasks into the
vehicle that are not unreasonably distracting. As a result, NHTSA
anticipates that future device designs may rely more on auditory-vocal
interactions for task performance.
    NHTSA does not know the safety effects of the NHTSA Guidelines
expected impact on future devices that are integrated into vehicles.
The problem is one of trying to estimate the safety benefits of unknown
future systems that meet the NHTSA Guidelines versus unknown future
systems that do not meet the NHTSA Guidelines and which will, due to
the influence of the NHTSA Guidelines, never be developed. For these
future systems, we do not know what they will do, their market share,
how often drivers will want to use them, or how much of a reduction in
TEORT would result from the NHTSA Guidelines. The numerous unknown
factors make it impossible to calculate meaningful estimates of
benefits. However, the resulting impact is expected to have a positive
impact on vehicle safety.
    There are certain non-driving tasks that are obviously
inappropriate to perform while driving, such as the driver watching
television. Many other in-vehicle device tasks are more reasonable to
perform while driving but, when equipped with a visual-manual driver-
vehicle interface, would be considered unreasonably distracting by the
NHTSA Guidelines (and, therefore, a manufacturer choosing to apply the
NHTSA Guidelines would lock out those tasks. However, research by Ford
Motor Company \118\ and VTTI \119\ has shown that through the use of an
auditory-vocal driver-vehicle interface reductions in Total Eyes-Off-
Road Time can be attained. As a result, NHTSA believes that many of
these in-vehicle device tasks may be suitable for performance by the
driver while driving if performed via an auditory-vocal interface.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \118\ Shutko, J., Mayer, K., Laansoo, E., and Tijerina, L.,
``Driver Workload Effects of Cell Phone, Music Player, and Text
Messaging Tasks with the Ford SYNC Voice Interface versus Handheld
Visual-Manual Interfaces,'' Ford Motor Company, SAE Paper 2009-01-
0786, 2009.
    \119\ Owens, J. M., McLaughlin, S. B., and Sudweeks, J., ``On-
Road Comparison of Driving Performance Measures When Using Handheld
and Voice-Control Interfaces for Mobile Phones and Portable Music
Players,'' Virginia Tech Transportation Institute, SAE Paper 2010-
0101036, April 2010.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Since most in-vehicle device tasks that are reasonable to perform
while driving will still be performable while meeting the NHTSA
Guidelines, NHTSA does not expect to affect the overall size of the in-
vehicle device market with its NHTSA Guidelines. The goal of the NHTSA
Guidelines is not to prevent drivers from performing reasonable tasks
while driving but to enable them to perform such tasks in a minimally-
distracting and safe manner.

C. NHTSA Monitoring To Determine Whether Vehicles Meet Guideline
Recommendations

    Since our voluntary NHTSA Guidelines are not a Federal Motor
Vehicle Safety Standard, the degree to which in-vehicle devices meet
the specified criteria would not be assessed in the context of a formal
compliance program. However, NHTSA does intend to monitor whether
vehicles meet these NHTSA Guidelines to help determine their
effectiveness and sufficiency. NHTSA has not determined the nature of
the monitoring it might adopt. At a minimum, some spot checking of
vehicles is likely.
    NHTSA seeks comment as to how best to monitor manufacturers'
voluntary implementation of the recommendations contained in the NHTSA
Guidelines. In particular, NHTSA requests input from commenters in
response to the following questions:
     Are these NHTSA Guidelines reasonable and applicable for
meeting their intended goals?
     How likely are vehicle manufacturers to adopt these NHTSA
Guidelines?
     How likely are equipment suppliers to adopt these NHTSA
Guidelines?
     How should NHTSA monitor adoption of these NHTSA
Guidelines in order to evaluate their effectiveness? How should it make
public the results of that monitoring?
    NHTSA will announce its plan for monitoring the adoption of these
guidelines as part of the final notice for Phase 1 of the NHTSA
Guidelines.

VIII. Public Participation

How do I prepare and submit comments?

    Your comments must be written and in English. To ensure that your

comments are correctly filed in the Docket, please include the docket
number of this document in your comments.
    Your comments must not be more than 15 pages long. (See 49 CFR
553.21.) We established this limit to encourage you to write your
primary comments in a concise fashion. However, you may attach
necessary additional documents to your comments. There is no limit on
the length of the attachments.
    Comments may be submitted to the docket electronically by logging
onto the Docket Management System Web site at http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the online instructions for submitting
comments.
    You may also submit two copies of your comments, including the
attachments, to Docket Management at the address given above under
ADDRESSES.
    Please note that pursuant to the Data Quality Act, in order for
substantive data to be relied upon and used by the agency, it must meet
the information quality standards set forth in the Office of Management
and Budget (OMB) and DOT Data Quality Act guidelines. Accordingly, we
encourage you to consult the guidelines in preparing your comments.
OMB's guidelines may be accessed at http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/fedreg/reproducible.html. DOT's guidelines may be accessed at http://dms.dot.gov.

How can I be sure that my comments were received?

    If you wish Docket Management to notify you upon its receipt of
your comments, enclose a self-addressed, stamped postcard in the
envelope containing your comments. Upon receiving your comments, Docket
Management will return the postcard by mail.

How do I submit confidential business information?

    If you wish to submit any information under a claim of
confidentiality, you should submit three copies of your complete
submission, including the information you claim to be confidential
business information, to the Chief Counsel, NHTSA, at the address given
above under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT. In addition, you should
submit two copies, from which you have deleted the claimed confidential
business information, to Docket Management at the address given above
under ADDRESSES. When you send a comment containing information claimed
to be confidential business information, you should include a cover
letter setting forth the information specified in our confidential
business information regulation. (See 49 CFR part 512.)

Will the agency consider late comments?

    We will consider all comments received before the close of business
on the comment closing date indicated above under DATES. To the extent
possible, we will also consider comments that are received after that
date. If a comment is received too late for us to consider in
developing any final guidelines, we will consider that comment as an
informal suggestion for future guidelines.

How can I read the comments submitted by other people?

    You may read the comments received by Docket Management at the
address given above under ADDRESSES. The hours of the Docket are
indicated above in the same location. You may also see the comments on
the Internet. To read the comments on the Internet, go to http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the online instructions for accessing the
dockets.
    Please note that even after the comment closing date, we will
continue to file relevant information in the Docket as it becomes
available. Further, some people may submit late comments. Accordingly,
we recommend that you periodically check the Docket for new material.

IX. National Technology Transfer and Advancement Act

    Under the National Technology Transfer and Advancement Act of 1995
(NTTAA) (Pub. L. 104-113), ``all Federal agencies and departments shall
use technical standards that are developed or adopted by voluntary
consensus standards bodies, using such technical standards as a means
to carry out policy objectives or activities determined by the agencies
and departments.'' Voluntary consensus standards are technical
standards (e.g., materials specifications, test methods, sampling
procedures, and business practices) that are developed or adopted by
voluntary consensus standards bodies, such as SAE. The NTTAA directs us
to provide Congress, through OMB, explanations when we decide not to
use available and applicable voluntary consensus standards.
    The agency is not aware of any applicable voluntary consensus
standards that are appropriate for driver distraction stemming from
driver interactions with in-vehicle electronic devices. However,
industry-developed standards do exist. These standards were reviewed
and formed the basis for the NHTSA Guidelines outlined herein.
    In view of all of the research and analysis discussed above, NHTSA
proposes the following voluntary NHTSA Guidelines for in-vehicle
devices.

X. Guidelines for Reducing Visual-Manual Driver Distraction During
Interactions With In-Vehicle Devices

    I. Purpose. The purpose of these guidelines is to reduce the number
of motor vehicle crashes and the resulting deaths and injuries that
occur due to a driver being distracted from the primary driving task
while performing non-driving activities with an integrated-into-the-
vehicle electronic device. The guidelines are presented as an aid to
manufacturers in designing in-vehicle devices so as to avoid unsafe
driver distraction resulting from use of the devices. Manufacturers
that choose to adhere to these guidelines do so voluntarily and
compliance with them is not required.
    I.1 Protection Against Unreasonable Risks to Safety. Due to the
rapid rate of development of electronic in-vehicle devices, the
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) cannot possibly
evaluate the safety implications of every new device before it is
introduced into vehicles. However, because they have obligations to
recall and remedy vehicles or motor vehicle equipment they manufacture
that present an unreasonable risk to safety (45 U.S.C. 30118-20),
manufacturers bear such obligations with regard to integrated-into-the-
vehicle electronic devices that create unreasonable risks to the
driving public.
    I.2 Driver Responsibilities. Drivers are still responsible for the
safety of people and property while driving and interacting with
integrated-into-the-vehicle electronic devices. Drivers retain the
primary responsibility for ensuring the safe operation of the vehicle
under all operating conditions.
    II. Scope. These guidelines are appropriate for driver interfaces
of original equipment electronic devices for performing non-driving
activities that are built into a vehicle when it is manufactured. They
are not appropriate for driving controls, driver safety warning
systems, any other electronic device that is necessary to drive a motor
vehicle, or any other electronic device that has a driver interface
that is specified by a Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard. Table 1
contains a non-exhaustive list of the types of devices for which these
guidelines are appropriate.

   Table 9--Types of Devices and Tasks for Which These Guidelines Are
                               Appropriate
------------------------------------------------------------------------

------------------------------------------------------------------------
Vehicle Information.......................  Vehicle Information Center.
                                            Emissions Controls.
                                            Fuel Economy Information.
Navigation................................  Destination Entry.
                                            Route Following.
                                            Real-Time Traffic Advisory.
                                            Trip Computer Information.
Communications............................  Caller Identification.
                                            Incoming Call Management.
                                            Initiating and Terminating
                                             Telephone Calls.
                                            Conference Telephoning.
                                            Walkie-Talkie-Like Services.
                                            Paging.
                                            E-mail.
                                            Reminders.
                                            Instant Messaging.
                                            Text Messaging.
Entertainment.............................  AM Radio.
                                            FM Radio.
                                            Satellite Radio.
                                            Pre-recorded Music Players,
                                             All Formats.
                                            Television.
                                            Video Displays.
                                            Advertising.
                                            Address Book.
                                            Internet Searching.
                                            Internet Content.
                                            News.
                                            Directory Services.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    II.1 Guidelines Intended for Driver Interfaces. These guidelines
are appropriate primarily for driver interfaces of devices. They are
appropriate to a limited extent (see Section VII) for devices intended
for use by front seat passengers. They are not appropriate for devices
that are located solely rearwards of the front seat of a vehicle.
    II.2 Only Driver Interfaces Covered. These guidelines are not
appropriate for any aspect of covered devices other than their driver
interfaces. Specifically, they do not cover a device's electrical
characteristics, material properties, or performance.
    II.3 Aftermarket and Portable Devices Not Covered. These guidelines
are only appropriate for devices that are installed in a vehicle by the
original manufacturer of the vehicle.
    II.4 Auditory-Vocal Interfaces Not Covered. These guidelines are
not appropriate for devices having solely auditory-vocal interfaces or
to the auditory-vocal portions of device's interfaces that contain both
auditory-vocal and visual-manual elements.
    II.5 Intended Vehicle Types. These guidelines are appropriate for
all passenger cars, multipurpose passenger vehicles, and trucks and
buses with a GVWR of not more than 10,000 pounds.
    III. Standards Included by Reference.
    III.1 International Standards Organization Standards.
    III.1.a ISO International Standard 16673:2007(E), ``Road Vehicles--
Ergonomic Aspects of Transport Information and Control Systems--
Occlusion Method to Assess Visual Demand due to the use of In-Vehicle
Systems.''
    III.2 SAE Standards.
    III.2.a SAE Surface Vehicle Recommended Practice J941 MAR 2010,
``Motor Vehicle Drivers' Eye Locations.''
    IV. Definitions.
    IV.1 General Definitions.
    IV.1.a Active Display Area means the portion of a display that is
being used. It excludes unused display surface and any area containing
physically manipulatable controls.
    IV.1.b Device means all components that a driver uses to perform
secondary tasks (i.e., tasks other than their primary task of driving);
whether stand-alone or integrated into another device.
    IV.1.c Distraction means the diversion of a driver's attention from
activities critical for safe driving to a competing activity. This
diversion of attention may be due to non-driving related tasks or to
driving related tasks involving information presented in an inefficient
manner or demanding unnecessarily complex inputs by a driver. Driver
distraction is accompanied by an approximately proportional decrease in
driving performance that can vary based on driver characteristics and
roadway environment.
    IV.1.d Downward Viewing Angle means the angle by which a driver has
to look down from the horizontal to directly look at a device's visual
display. Both three-dimensional downward viewing angle and a two-
dimensional approximation are used in these guidelines.
    IV.1.e Driver's Field of View means the forward view directly
through the windshield, rear and side views through the other vehicle
windows, as well as the indirect side and rear view provided by the
vehicle mirror system.
    IV.1.f Driving means any condition in which the vehicle's engine is
running unless the vehicle's transmission is in ``Park'' (automatic
transmission vehicles) or the vehicle's transmission is in ``Neutral''
and the parking brake is on (manual transmission vehicles).
    IV.1.g Driving-Related Task means an activity performed by a driver
that is essential to the operation and safe control of the vehicle.
    IV.1.h Function means an individual action that a device can
perform. A device may have one or more functions.
    IV.1.j Glance means a single ocular fixation by a driver. When
using eye tracker equipment that cannot distinguish different nearby
locations of individual fixations, glance may also be used to refer to
multiple fixations to a single area that the eye tracker treats as one
ocular fixation.
    IV.1.k Glance Duration means the time from the moment at which the
direction of gaze moves towards a target to the moment it moves away
from that target. It should be noted that glance duration includes the
transition time to a target and the dwell time on the target.
    IV.1.l Interaction means a transaction between a driver and a
device. Interactions include control inputs (defined later) and data
inputs (information that a driver sends or receives from the device
that is not intended to control the device). Depending on the type of
task and the goal, interactions may be elementary or more complex. For
the visual-manual interfaces covered by this version of the NHTSA
Driver Distraction Guidelines (NHTSA Guidelines), interactions are
restricted to physical (manual or visual) actions.
    IV.1.m Lock Out means the disabling of one or more functions or
features of a device unless either (1) the vehicle's engine is not
running, or (2) the vehicle's transmission is in ``Park'' (automatic
transmission vehicles) or the vehicle's transmission is in ``Neutral''
and the parking brake is on (manual transmission vehicles).
    IV.1.n Nominal Driver Eye Point means the XC and
ZC coordinates of the Cyclopean eye point as given by
Equations (2) and (5), respectively, of SAE Surface Vehicle Recommended
Practice J941 MAR 2010, Motor Vehicle Drivers' Eye Locations.
    IV.1.o Subtend means, in a geometrical sense, to be opposite to and
delimit (an angle or side).
    IV.2 Task-Related Definitions.
    IV.2.a Control Input means a transaction between a driver and a
device that is intended to affect the state of a device. Control inputs
may be initiated either by a driver or as a response to displayed
information initiated by a device itself. For the visual-manual
interfaces covered by this version of the NHTSA Guidelines, control
inputs are restricted to manual control actions.

    IV.2.b Dependent Task means a task that cannot be initiated until
another task (referred to as the antecedent task) is first completed.
Their start state is thus dependent upon the end state of another,
antecedent, task.
    An antecedent task that is followed by a dependent task can be
distinguished from a task that contains two subtasks by examining the
end states of both the antecedent task and the dependent task. For the
antecedent task-dependent task case, both tasks will end with the
achievement of a driver goal (i.e., two driver goals will be achieved,
one for the antecedent task and one for the dependent task). In
contrast, for a task composed of two subtasks, only one driver goal
will be achieved.
    For example, after choosing a restaurant from a navigation system's
point-of-interest list (antecedent task), a driver is offered an
Internet function option of making a reservation at the restaurant
(dependent task). The dependent task of making a reservation can only
be initiated following the task of selecting a restaurant from within
the navigation system.
    IV.2.c End of Data Collection means the time at which a test
participant tells the experimenter ``done'' (or, by some means,
indicates non-verbally the same thing). Test participant eye glances
and vehicle driving performance are not examined after the end of data
collection. If a test participant eye glance was in progress at the end
of data collection, only the portion of it before the end of data
collection is used. If the end of data collection occurs when the
device is at the desired end state for a testable task, then a test
participant has successfully completed the testable task.
    IV.2.d End State for a Testable Task means the pre-defined device
state sought by a test participant to achieve the goal of that testable
task.
    IV.2.e Error means that a test participant has made an incorrect
input when performing a requested task during a test trial. An error
has occurred if the test participant has to backtrack during
performance of the task or delete already entered inputs. If the device
can accommodate an incorrect entry without requiring backtracking and
extra inputs beyond those necessary to reach the desired end state of
the task, then no error is deemed to have occurred.
    IV.2.f Error-Free Trial means a test trial in which no errors are
made by the test participant while completing the task.
    IV.2.g Goal means a device state sought by a driver. Goal
achievement is defined as achieving a device state that meets the
driver's intended state, independent of the particular device being
executed or method of execution.
    IV.2.h Secondary Task means, in these guidelines, any interaction a
driver has with an in-vehicle device that is not directly related to
the primary task of driving. These tasks may relate to driver comfort,
convenience, communications, entertainment, information gain, or
navigation.
    IV.2.i Start of Data Collection means the time at which the
experimenter tells a test participant ``begin'' (or, by some means,
issues a non-verbal command indicating the same thing). Test
participant eye glances and vehicle driving performance are examined
only after the start of data collection. If a test participant eye
glance was in progress at the start of data collection, only the
portion of it after the start of data collection is used. The start of
data collection should occur when the device is at the start state for
a testable task.
    IV.2.j Start State for a Testable Task means the pre-defined device
state from which testing of a testable task always begins. This is
frequently the ``home'' screen, default visual display state, or other
default driver interface state from which a driver initiates
performance of the testable task. For dependent tasks, the start state
would be the end state of the previous testable task.
    For a testable task for which there is only one point (e.g.,
screen, visual prompt, step) screen from which the task can be
initiated, that point would correspond to the start state. For a
testable task which can be initiated from more than one point, one of
these options is selected as the start state. (The desire here is to
reduce the amount of testing needed to ensure adherence with these
guidelines. It is generally not necessary to test all possible
transitions into a testable task.)
    IV.2.k Sub-goal means an intermediate state on the path to the goal
toward which a driver is working. It is often distinguishable from a
goal in two ways: (1) It is usually not a state at which a driver would
be satisfied stopping; and (2) it may vary in its characteristics and/
or ordering with other sub-goals across hardware/interface functions,
and thus is system dependent.
    IV.2.l Subtask means a sub-sequence of control operations that is
part of a larger testable task sequence--and which leads to a sub-goal
that represents an intermediate state in the path to the larger goal
toward which a driver is working.
    Subtasks should not be treated as separate dependent tasks. For
example, entering the street name as part of navigation destination
entry is not a separate task from entering the street number; rather,
these are subtasks of the same task.
    IV.2.m Successful Task Completion means that a test participant has
performed a testable task without substantial deviations from the
correct sequence(s) of control inputs and achieved the desired end
state for a testable task.
    IV.2.n Testable Task means a sequence of control operations
performed using a specific method leading to a goal toward which a
driver will normally persist until the goal is reached. A testable task
begins with the device at a previously defined start state and
proceeds, if the testable task is successfully completed, until the
device attains a previously defined end state.
    A testable task is a secondary task that is performed using an
electronic device with a specified sequence of control operations
leading to a goal and a defined start state and end state. It is called
a testable task because it is a secondary task that can be tested for
adherence with these guidelines. While performing a testable task
during testing to determine if a task causes an unacceptable level of
distraction, data collection begins at start of data collection and
continues until end of data collection.
    IV.3 Task-Related Explanatory Material.
    IV.3.a Testable tasks should be completely defined prior to any
testing to determine whether they are suitable to perform while driving
under these guidelines.
    IV.3.b For testable tasks that have a variety of possible inputs of
different lengths (e.g., city names for navigation systems), a typical
or average length input should be used. Precise averages need not be
used and there may be some variation in length from input-to-input. For
example, for the input of city names into a navigation system, a length
restriction of 9 through 12 letters might be used.
    V. Device Interface Recommendations. Each device's driver interface
should meet the recommendations specified in Section V under the test
procedures specified in Section VI of these guidelines.
    V.1 No Obstruction of View.
    V.1.a No part of the physical device should, when mounted in the
manner intended by the manufacturer, obstruct a driver's field of view.
    V.1.b No part of the physical device should, when mounted in the
manner intended by the manufacturer, obstruct a driver's view of any
vehicle controls or displays required for the driving task.

    V.2 Easy to See and Reach. The mounting location for a device
should not be in a location that is difficult to see and/or reach (as
appropriate) while driving.
    V.3 Maximum Display Downward Angle. Each device's display(s) should
be mounted in a position where the downward viewing angle, measured at
the geometric center of each active display area and determined as
explained in Subsection VI.1, is less than at least one of the
following two angles:
     The 2D Maximum Downward Angle, or
     The 3D Maximum Downward Angle.
    When the 2D Maximum Downward Angle is used, the downward viewing
angle is determined as explained in Subsection VI.1.a. When the 3D
Maximum Downward Angle is used, the downward viewing angle is
determined as discussed in Subsection VI.1.b.
    V.3.a The 2D Maximum Downward Angle is equal to 30.00 degrees for a
vehicle with the height above the ground of the nominal driver eye
point less than or equal to 1700 millimeters above the ground.
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN24FE12.059

    V.3.e Visual displays that present information highly relevant to
the driving task and/or visually-intensive information should have
downward viewing angles that are as close as practicable to a driver's
forward line of sight. Visual displays that present information less
relevant to the driving task should have lower priority, when it comes
to locating them to minimize their downward viewing angles, than
displays that present information highly relevant to the driving task.
    V.4 Lateral Display Position. Visual displays that present
information relevant to the driving task and/or visually-intensive
information should be laterally positioned as close as practicable to a
driver's forward line of sight.
    V.5 Per se Lock Outs. The following in-vehicle device tasks should
always be locked out unless either (1) the vehicle's engine is not
running, or (2) the vehicle's transmission is in ``Park'' (automatic
transmission vehicles) or the vehicle's transmission is in ``Neutral''
and the parking brake is on (manual transmission vehicles):
    V.5.a Displaying dynamic or static visual photographic or graphical
images not related to driving including, but not limited to:
    V.5.a.i Video-based entertainment in view of the driver; and
    V.5.a.ii Video-based communications including video phone calls and
other forms of video communication.
    V.5.b Dynamic map displays. The display of either static or quasi-
static

maps (quasi-static maps are static maps that are updated frequently,
perhaps as often as every few seconds, but are not continuously moving)
for the purpose of providing driving directions is acceptable. Dynamic,
continuously-moving maps are not recommended.
    V.5.c The display of rearview images for the purposes of aiding a
driver in performing a backing maneuver should not be locked out when
presented in accordance with the allowable circumstances specified in
FMVSS No. 111.
    V.5.d Displaying static photographic or graphical images not
related to driving. However, displaying driving-related images
including icons, line drawings, and either static or quasi-static maps
is acceptable.
    V.5.e Automatically scrolling text. The display of continuously
moving text is not recommended. The visual presentation of limited
amounts of static or quasi-static text is acceptable
    V.5.f Manual text entry. A driver should not enter more than six
button or key presses during a single task. This would include drafting
text messages and keyboard-based text entry.
    V.5.g Reading more than 30 characters (not counting punctuation
marks, counting each number, no matter how many digits it contains, as
one character, and counting units such as mph as just one character) of
visually presented text.
    V.5.h The per se lock outs listed above are intended to
specifically prohibit a driver from performing the following while
driving:
     Watching video footage,
     Visual-manual text messaging,
     Visual-manual internet browsing, and
     Visual-manual social media browsing.
    V.6 Task Lock Outs. Any secondary task that draws a driver's
attention from the primary driving task to the point where safety is
reduced, as determined by the test procedure contained in Subsection
VI.2, should be locked out unless either (1) the vehicle's engine is
not running, or (2) the vehicle's transmission is in ``Park''
(automatic transmission vehicles) or the vehicle's transmission is in
``Neutral'' and the parking brake is on (manual transmission vehicles).
    V.7 Sound Level. Devices should not produce uncontrollable sound
levels liable to mask warnings from within the vehicle or outside or to
cause distraction or irritation.
    V.8 Single-Handed Operation. Devices should allow a driver to leave
at least one hand on the vehicle's steering control. All tasks that
require manual control inputs (and can be done with the device while
the vehicle is in motion) should be executable by a driver in a way
that meets all of the following criteria:
    V.8.a When manual device controls are placed in locations other
than on the steering control, no more than one hand should be required
for manual input to the device at any given time during driving.
    V.8.b When device controls are located on the steering wheel and
both hands are on the steering wheel, no device tasks should require
simultaneous manual inputs from both hands.
    V.8.c A driver's reach to the device's controls should allow one
hand to remain on the steering control at all times.
    V.8.d Reach of the whole hand through steering wheel openings
should not be required for operation of any device controls.
    V.9 Interruptability. Devices should not require uninterruptible
sequences of visual-manual interactions by a driver. A driver should be
able to resume an operator-interrupted sequence of visual-manual
interactions with a device at the point of interruption or at another
logical point in the sequence. This subsection, including all of its
following sub-parts, is not appropriate for device output of
dynamically changing data.
    V.9.a Except as stated in Subsection V.9.e, no device-initiated
loss of partial driver input (either data or command inputs) should
occur automatically.
    V.9.b Drivers may initiate commands that erase driver inputs.
    V.9.c A visual display of previously-entered data or current device
state should be provided to remind a driver of where the task was left
off.
    V.9.d If feasible, necessary, and appropriate, the device should
offer to aid a driver in finding the point to resume the input sequence
or in determining the next action to be taken. Possible aids include,
but are not limited to:
     A visually displayed indication of where a driver left
off,
     A visually displayed indication of input required to
complete the task, or
     An indication to aid a driver in finding where to resume
the task.
    V.9.e Devices may revert automatically to a previous or default
state without the necessity of further driver input after a device
defined time-out period, provided:
     It is a low priority device state (one that does not
affect safety-related functions or way finding), and
     The state being left can be reached again with low driver
effort. In this context, low driver effort is defined as either a
single driver input or not more than four presses of one button.
    V.10 Response Time. A device's response (e.g., feedback,
confirmation) following driver input should be timely and clearly
perceptible. The maximum device response time to a device input should
not exceed 0.25 second. If device response time exceeds 0.25 second, a
clearly perceptible indication should be given indicating that the
device is responding.
    V.11 Disablement. Devices providing dynamic (i.e., moving) non-
safety-related visual information should provide a means by which that
information is not seen by a driver. A device visually presenting
dynamic non-safety-related information should make the information not
seen by a driver through at least one of the following mechanisms:
     Dimming the displayed information,
     Turning off or blanking the displayed information,
     Changing the state of the display so that the dynamic,
non-safety-related information cannot be seen by a driver while
driving, or
     Positioning or moving the display so that the dynamic,
non-safety-related information cannot be seen while driving.
    V.12 Lock Out Functions not Intended for Driving Use. Device
functions not intended to be used by a driver while driving should be
locked out (i.e., made inoperable unless either (1) the vehicle's
engine is not running, or (2) the vehicle's transmission is in ``Park''
(automatic transmission vehicles) or the vehicle's transmission is in
``Neutral'' and the parking brake is on (manual transmission vehicles).
    V.13 Distinguish Devices not Intended for Driving Use. Devices
should clearly distinguish between those aspects of a device which are
intended for use by a driver while driving, and those aspects (e.g.,
specific functions, menus, etc.) that are not intended to be used while
driving.
    V.14 Device Status. Information about current status, and any
detected malfunction, within the device that is likely to have an
adverse impact on safety should be presented to the driver.
    VI. Recommended Test Procedures.
    VI.1 Determination of Downward Viewing Angle. The downward viewing
angle of each display is determined in two ways, two dimensionally (the
2D Downward Viewing Angle; Subsection VI.1.a explains how to calculate)
and three dimensionally (the 3D Downward Viewing Angle; Subsection
VI.1.b discusses how to calculate). As

discussed in Subsection V.3, the downward viewing angle of each display
should be less than at least one of the following two angles:
     The 2D Maximum Downward Angle, or
     The 3D Maximum Downward Angle.
    VI.1.a Determination of 2D Downward Viewing Angle. Create a fore-
and-aft plane (Plane FA) through the nominal driver eye point as
determined using the March 2010 revision of SAE Surface Vehicle
Recommended Practice J941 ``Motor Vehicle Drivers' Eye Locations.''
Project the position of the geometric center of a display for which
this angle is being determined laterally (while maintaining the same
fore-and aft and vertical coordinates) onto Plane FA. Generate two
lines in Plane FA, Line 1 and Line 2. Line 1 is a horizontal line
(i.e., maintaining the same vertical coordinate) going through the
nominal driver eye point. Line 2 goes through the nominal driver eye
point and the projected onto Plane FA geometric center of the display.
The downward viewing angle is the angle from Line 1 to Line 2.
    VI.1.b Determination of 3D Downward Viewing Angle. Generate two
lines, Line 3 and Line 4. Line 3 is a horizontal line (i.e.,
maintaining the same vertical coordinate) going through the nominal
driver eye point, as determined using the March 2010 revision of SAE
Surface Vehicle Recommended Practice J941 ``Motor Vehicle Drivers' Eye
Locations,'' and a point vertically above or at the geometric center of
the display for which the angle is being determined. Line 4 goes
through the nominal driver eye point and the geometric center of the
display. The downward viewing angle is the angle from Line 3 to Line 4.
    VI.2 Driving Simulator Recommendations. A driving simulator is used
for most of the proposed test options (Options C, F, G, H, and J,
below) for determining whether driver operation of a device while
performing a secondary task produces an unacceptable level of
distraction. The driving simulator used for distraction testing should
conform to the recommendations in the following subsections.
    VI.2.a The driving simulator should be capable of testing using a
substantial portion (the entire area that can be reached by a driver)
of a full-size production vehicle cab. To set up this portion of a
vehicle cab for testing, no modifications should be made to the
dashboard or driver interface other than the addition of sensors to
determine steering wheel angle, brake pedal position, and throttle
pedal position, driver gaze location, headway (distance from the
subject vehicle to a lead vehicle if one is present), lane position,
and other desired data. The portion of the actual production vehicle
cab being used for testing should be easily changeable.
    VI.2.b The driving simulator should use information collected by
the steering wheel angle, brake pedal position, and throttle pedal
position sensors, along with an appropriate vehicle dynamics
simulation, to predict vehicle orientation and position, angular and
linear velocities, and angular and linear accelerations.
    VI.2.c The driving simulator should record the following data
channels at a minimum of 30 times per second: Steering wheel angle,
brake pedal position, throttle pedal position, vehicle orientation and
position, lane position, headway, vehicle speed, and vehicle lateral
and longitudinal accelerations. Each of the above listed channels
should either be calculated or measured with a sensor having an
accuracy of 2 percent of full scale or better. The
simulator should also have a means of determining the exact time of the
start and end of each secondary task that is performed.
    VI.2.d For test paradigms that require the determination of eye
glance location, the driving simulator should determine them in one of
two ways: (1) Through the use of an eye tracker or (2) by collecting
full motion video of each test participant's face and, subsequent to
testing, a human data reducer determines from this video the direction
of a test participant's gaze at each instant in time.
    VI.2.e The driving simulator should generate and display color (16
bit minimum color depth), computer generated imagery of the forward
road scene. This imagery should be projected onto a large area screen
in front of the vehicle. The portion of the projection screen on which
computer generated imagery is displayed should have an area of at least
208325 mm wide by at least 137225 mm tall. The
projection screen should be placed 4700125 mm in front of
the nominal driver eye point. The computer generated image should
contain at least 880 by 500 pixels and should be updated at least 30
times per second. The time lag to calculate the computer generated
imagery should not be more than 0.10 second.
    VI.2.f For test paradigms that require the performance of a visual
detection task, the driving simulator should be capable of displaying
the target to be detected.
    VI.2.f.i The target to be detected consists of a filled-in, red
circle. The target should be sized such that it subtends a visual angle
of 1.00.2 degrees. It may be displayed in any one of six
positions. These positions are: vertically--all approximately at
horizon height, and horizontally, with respect to the driver's head
position--91, 55, and 11 to the
left of straight ahead, and 101, 145, and
171 degrees to the right of straight ahead.
    VI.2.f.ii The target is displayed in one position at a time. The
target is displayed in a particular, randomly-selected (via a pick from
a uniform probability distribution) position for 1.5 seconds or until
the participant responds. The target disappears if a test participant
responds (via the micro-switch discussed in Subsection VI.2.g) while it
is displayed or within 0.5 seconds after the target disappears. After
the target disappears, it is not displayed for a period of time that
varies randomly (via a pick from a uniform probability distribution)
from 3.0 to 5.0 seconds.
    VI.2.g For test paradigms that require the performance of a visual
detection task, the driving simulator should be capable of recording
both the time at which each target begins to be displayed and the time
when a test participant responds.
    VI.2.g.i Test participant responses are recorded based on the
wirelessly-transmitted output of a finger-mounted button micro-switch.
The button micro-switch should be mounted, if feasible, on the index
finger of a test participant's left hand in such a way that a test
participant can easily momentarily depress the micro-switch button when
he or she sees a target displayed.
    VI.2.g.ii If it is not feasible to mount the button micro-switch on
the index finger of a test participant's left hand, mount the button
micro-switch in a convenient location such that it can be easily
pressed while driving.
    VI.2.g.iii If a test participant starts pressing the micro-switch
button either while the target is displayed or within 0.5 seconds of
the completion of a target display, it is counted as a correct
response.
    VI.2.g.iv For correct responses only, the Visual Detection Task
Response Time is equal to the time from the beginning of the target
display to the start of the micro-switch button press. This measure
cannot be calculated for incorrect responses.
    VI.2.h The driving simulator should display the vehicle's speed to
a driver.
    VI.2.j The driving simulator should be capable of simulating the
driving

scenarios described elsewhere in this document.
    VI.3 Recommended Driving Simulator Scenario.
    VI.3.a The road being simulated should:
    VI.3.a.i Be undivided and four lanes wide,
    VI.3.a.ii Have a solid double yellow line down the center,
    VI.3.a.iii Have solid white lines on the outside edges,
    VI.3.a.iv Have dashed white lines separating the two lanes that go
in each direction,
    VI.3.a.v Be flat (no grade or road crown), and
    VI.3.a.vi Have a speed limit of 55 mph.
    VI.3.a.vii All test data collection is performed on straight road
segments. However, the road being simulated may, if desired, contain
occasional curved segments not in the area used for data collection.
    VI.3.b The driving scenario should proceed as follows:
    VI.3.b.i The subject vehicle begins motionless in the right lane of
the road.
    VI.3.b.ii Test participant accelerates vehicle up to approximately
the speed limit.
    VI.3.b.iii After approximately 360 meters of travel, the lead
vehicle, which is initially traveling at the speed limit, appears in
the travel lane in front of the subject vehicle at the desired
following distance.
    VI.3.b.iv The subject vehicle then follows the lead vehicle for the
remainder of the test. This is defined as the car following portion of
the test.
    VI.3.c All testing is performed while driving in the right lane of
the simulated road.
    VI.3.d A test participant should begin performing secondary tasks
as soon as feasible after the start of the car following portion of the
test.
    VI.3.e The speed of the lead vehicle, as a function of time, will
be specified for each test. Each of the test options, below, that use a
driving simulator (Options EGDS, DS-BM, DS-FC, DFD-BM, and DFD-FC)
state the lead vehicle speed as a function of time.
    VI.3.f Once the subject vehicle is following the lead vehicle,
oncoming or adjacent lane traffic may begin to appear. The oncoming or
adjacent lane traffic that is present is specified for each of the test
options, below, that use a driving simulator (Options EGDS, DS-BM, DS-
FC, DFD-BM, and DFD-FC).
    VI.4 Test Participant Recommendations.
    VI.4.a General Criteria. Each test participant should meet the
following general criteria:
    VI.4.a.i Be in good general health,
    VI.4.a.ii Be an active driver with a valid driver's license,
    VI.4.a.iii Drive a minimum of 7,000 miles per year,
    VI.4.a.iv Be in the age range of 18 through 75 years of age,
inclusive,
    VI.4.a.v Have experience using a wireless phone while driving,
    VI.4.a.vi Be comfortable communicating via text messages, and
    VI.4.a.vii Be unfamiliar with the device(s) being tested.
    VI.4.b Mix of Ages in Each Test Participant Sample. Out of each
group of twenty-four test participants used for testing a particular
in-vehicle device task, there should be:
    VI.4.b.i Six test participants 18 through 24 years old, inclusive,
    VI.4.b.ii Six test participants 25 through 39 years old, inclusive,
    VI.4.b.iii Six test participants 40 through 54 years old,
inclusive, and
    VI.4.b.iv Six test participants 55 years old or older.
    VI.4.c Even Mix of Genders in Each Test Participant Sample. Each
sample of twenty-four test participants used for testing a particular
in-vehicle device task, should contain:
    VI.4.c.i Twelve men and twelve women overall, and
    VI.4.c.ii An equal balance of men and women in each of the age
ranges 18 through 24 years old, 25 through 39 years old, 40 through 54
years old, and 55 years old and older.
    VI.4.d Test Participant Impartiality. Test participants should be
impartial with regard to the testing. To ensure fairness, test
participants should not have any direct interest, financial or
otherwise, in whether or not any of the devices being tested meets or
does not meet the acceptance criteria. (While auto manufacturers may
have multiple categories of employees that are not involved in vehicle
systems or component development, NHTSA believes that automaker
employees will tend to be generally more knowledgeable about vehicles
and their current features than the average member of the public. With
this additional knowledge of vehicles and their latest features, the
employees may perform better in testing due to this exposure to the
automotive industry. Therefore, their use as test participants is
discouraged.)
    VI.5 Test Participant Device Training Recommendations. Each test
participant should be given training as to how to operate the driving
simulator (if one is being used) and how to perform each of the desired
secondary tasks using the devices being evaluated.
    VI.5.a Test instruction should be standardized and be presented
either orally or in writing. The display and controls of the interface
should be visible during instruction. An instruction may be repeated at
the request of a test participant.
    VI.5.b Each test participant should have the vehicle's controls and
displays explained to them, and shown how to adjust the seat. Since the
vehicle's mirrors are not used during this testing, there is no need to
explain to test participants how to adjust them.
    VI.5.c Each test participant should be given instructions on the
driving scenario that they are to perform. These should include:
    VI.5.c.i That he or she should drive in the right lane, and
    VI.5.c.ii That, as a driver, their primary responsibility is to
drive safely at all times.
    VI.5.d Test participants should be told the speed at which they are
to drive prior to the beginning of car following. Test participants
should be told that, once in car following mode, they should follow the
lead vehicle at as close to a constant following distance as they can
manage.
    VI.5.e Test participants should be given specific detailed
instructions and practice as to how to perform each secondary task of
interest on each device being studied before that particular driving
trial.
    VI.5.f Test participants should practice each secondary task of
interest on each device being studied with the driving simulator with
the vehicle parked. This practice may also be performed in a separate
parked vehicle. A test participant should practice a task as many times
as needed until they think that they have become comfortable in
performing the task.
    VI.6 Eye Glance Measurement. While driving the simulator and
performing the secondary task, the length of each test participants eye
glances away from the forward roadway should be recorded and
determined.
    VI.6.a Eye glance durations should be determined in one of two
ways: (1) through the use of an eye tracker or (2) by collecting full
motion video of each test participant's face and, subsequent to
testing, a data reducer determines from this video the direction of a
test participant's gaze at each instant in time.
    VI.6.b The length of an individual glance is determined as the time
associated with any eye glances away from the forward roadway. Due to
the driving scenario, eye glances to the side of the roadway or to the
vehicle's mirrors are expected to be minimal.
    VI.6.c Ensuring eye tracker accuracy and repeatability. If an eye
tracker is

used, the testing organization should have a procedure for ensuring the
accuracy and repeatability of eye glance locations. This will require
collecting full motion video of a small sample of test participant's
faces and having data reducer determine from this video the direction
of a test participant's gaze at each instant in time. The testing
organization should also have a written procedure for setting up and
calibrating the eye tracker.
    VI.6.d Ensuring Full Motion Video Reduction Accuracy and
Repeatability. If full motion video is used, the testing organization
should have a procedure for ensuring the accuracy and repeatability of
eye glance locations. This will involve having multiple data reducers
analyze the same, relatively short segment(s) of full motion video and
checking that they obtained the same glance locations. The testing
organization should also have a written procedure for instructing and
training data reducers as to how to determine eye glance locations. To
the extent possible, data reducers should not have an interest as to
whether a secondary task/device being tested meets the acceptance
criteria. Data reducers should not be closely involved with the
development of a device.
    VI.7 Task Performance Errors During Testing.
    VI.7.a ``Error-Free'' Performance During Testing. During testing,
only data from ``error-free'' test trials performed by test
participants should be used for determining whether a task is suitable
for performance while driving.
    VI.7.b Unreasonably Difficult Tasks. A record should be kept during
testing as to whether one or more errors occurred during each test
trial. If errors occur during more than 50 percent of test trials while
testing a sample of 24 test participants, then that task is deemed an
``unreasonably difficult task'' for performance by a driver while
driving. Unreasonably difficult tasks are not recommended for
performance while driving and should be locked out.
    VI.8 Determination That a Task Should Be Locked Out. Any task that
draws a driver's attention from the primary driving task to the point
where it does not comply with the Subsection VI.8 test procedures,
should either be located and oriented so that it cannot be seen by a
driver unless either (1) the vehicle's engine is not running, or (2)
the vehicle's transmission is in ``Park'' (automatic transmission
vehicles) or the vehicle's transmission is in ``Neutral'' and the
parking brake is on (manual transmission vehicles). The following table
summarizes the test procedures that are currently being considered to
determine which tasks should be locked out.

           Table 10--Summary of Distraction Test Protocols and Acceptance Criteria Considered by NHTSA
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     Option letter            Test name         Performance measures   Acceptance criteria      Testing venue
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
EGDS..................  Eye Glance Testing      Duration of    85% of       Driving Simulator.
                         Using a Driving        individual eye         individual glance
                         Simulator.             glances away from      durations less than
                                                forward road view.     2.0 seconds.
                                                Sum of         Mean of
                                                individual eye         individual glance
                                                glance durations       durations less than
                                                away from forward      2.0 seconds.
                                                road view.             Sum of
                                                                       individual eye
                                                                       glance durations
                                                                       less than or equal
                                                                       to 12.0 seconds.
OCC...................  Occlusion Testing....   Sum of         Sum of       Occlusion.
                                                shutter open times.    shutter open times
                                                                       less than 9.0
                                                                       seconds.
STEP..................  Step Counting........   Number of      Less than 6  Task Analysis.
                                                steps required for     steps required for
                                                task.                  task.
DS-BM.................  Driving Test Protocol   Standard       Performance  Driving Simulator.
                         with Benchmark.        deviation of headway.  measures not
                                                Lane           greater than
                                                exceedances..          benchmark values.
DS-FC.................  Driving Test Protocol   Same as        Performance  Driving Simulator.
                         with Fixed             Option DS-BM.          measures not
                         Acceptance Criteria.                          greater than
                                                                       specified values.
DFD-BM................  Dynamic Following and   Duration of    Option EGDS  Driving Simulator.
                         Detection Protocol     individual eye         eye glance
                         with Benchmark.        glances away from      acceptance criteria
                                                forward road view.     plus.
                                                Sum of         Performance
                                                individual eye         measures less than
                                                glance durations       benchmark values.
                                                away from forward
                                                road view.
                                                Standard
                                                deviation of lane
                                                position.
                                                Car
                                                following delay..
                                                Percent of
                                                visual targets
                                                detected.
                                                Visual
                                                detection response
                                                time.
DFD-FC................  Dynamic Following and   Same as        Option EGDS  Driving Simulator.
                         Detection Protocol     Option DFD-FC.         eye glance
                         with Fixed                                    acceptance criteria
                         Acceptance Criteria.                          plus.
                                                                       Performance
                                                                       measures less than
                                                                       specified values.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Note: Manufacturers are free to use any testing protocol that they desire to ensure that their products adhere
  to the NHTSA Guidelines.

Option EGDS: Eye Glance Testing Using a Driving Simulator

    EGDS.1 Test Apparatus. Testing should be performed using a driving
simulator that meets the recommendations contained in Subsection VI.2
using the driving scenario described in Subsection VI.3.
    EGDS.2 Lead Vehicle Speed. For this testing, the lead vehicle
should travel at a constant speed of 50 mph.

    EGDS.3 Test Device. The device under investigation should be
operational and fitted to a vehicle or simulator buck.
    EGDS.4 Test Participants.
    EGDS.4.a Twenty-four test participants should be enrolled using the
procedures described in Subsection VI.4.
    EGDS.4.b Test participants initially should be unfamiliar with the
device being tested. As part of the test protocol, they should be
trained in the use of the device(s) that are being tested using the
procedures described in Subsection VI.5.
    EGDS.5 Test Instructions. Test instruction should be standardized
and be presented either in oral or written format. The display and
controls of the interface should be visible during instruction. An
instruction may be repeated at the request of a test participant.
    EGDS.6 Number of Trials. Each test participant should drive the
driving scenario two times, one time not performing any secondary task
(the Familiarization Trial), and a second time performing the secondary
task being studied (the Data Trial).
    EGDS.7 Eye Glance Determination. Eye glances are determined for
each test participant while performing each secondary task using the
techniques described in Subsection VI.6.
    EGDS.8 Acceptance Criteria. A task should not be allowed to be
performed by drivers unless either (1) The vehicle's engine is not
running, or (2) the vehicle's transmission is in ``Park'' (automatic
transmission vehicles) or the vehicle's transmission is in ``Neutral''
and the parking brake is on (manual transmission vehicles), or (3) the
following three criteria are all met:
    EGDS.8.a For any of the test participants, no more than fifteen
percent (rounded up) of the total number of eye glances away from the
forward road scene should last for more than 2.0 seconds while
performing the secondary task one time.
    EGDS.8.b For at least twenty-one of the twenty-four test
participants, the mean of all eye glances away from the forward road
scene should be less than 2.0 seconds while performing the secondary
task one time.
    EGDS.8.c For at least twenty-one of the twenty-four test
participants, the sum of the durations of each individual participant's
eye glances away from the forward road scene should be less than, or
equal to, 12.0 seconds while performing the secondary task one time.
    EGDS.9 Multiple Trials. To improve testing efficiency, multiple
Data Trials should be allowed to be made by the same subject. Only one
Familiarization Trial needs to be performed, prior to any desired
number of Data Trials. Also, multiple secondary tasks can be tested,
one after another, during the same Data Trial.

Option OCC: Occlusion Testing

    OCC.1 Test Apparatus. Intermittent viewing of a device interface
can be provided by various means such as commercially-available
occlusion goggles, a shutter in front of the interface, or some other
means.
    OCC.1.a Either the occlusion goggles, the shutter in front of the
interface, or other means used should be transparent during the viewing
interval and opaque during the occlusion interval.
    OCC.1.b During the occlusion interval, neither the interface
displays nor controls should be visible to a test participant.
    OCC.1.c During the occlusion interval, operation of the device
controls by a test participant should be permitted.
    OCC.1.d The switching process between the viewing interval and the
occlusion interval should occur in less than twenty (20) milliseconds
and vice versa.
    OCC.1.e Either the occlusion goggles, the shutter in front of the
interface, or the other means of allowing/blocking a test participant's
vision should be electronically controlled.
    OCC.1.f The illumination levels during the viewing and occlusion
intervals should be comparable so that dark/light adaptation of test
participants' eyes is not necessary during the procedure.
    OCC.2 Test Device. The device under investigation should be
operational and fitted to a vehicle, simulator buck, or vehicle mock-up
in a design which duplicates the intended location of the interface in
the vehicle (i.e., the viewing angle and control placement
relationships should be maintained).
    OCC.3 Test Participants.
    OCC.3.a Twenty-four test participants should be enrolled using the
procedures described in Subsection VI.4.
    OCC.3.b Test participants initially should be unfamiliar with the
device being tested. As part of the test protocol, they should be
trained in the use of the device(s) that are being tested using the
procedures described in Subsection VI.5.
    OCC.4 Test Instructions. Test instruction should be standardized
and be presented either in oral or written format. The display and
controls of the interface should be visible during instruction. An
instruction may be repeated at the request of a test participant.
    OCC.5 Test Procedure. Testing is performed in accordance with ISO
International Standard 16673:2007, ``Road Vehicles--Ergonomic Aspects
of Transport Information and Control Systems--Occlusion Method to
Assess Visual Demand due to the use of In-Vehicle Systems'' with the
exception that where the ISO Standard states that at least ten
participants are to be tested, the current guidelines have fixed this
number at twenty-four participants to be tested.
    OCC.5.a The viewing interval (shutter open time) should be 1.5
seconds. This should be followed by a 1.5-second occlusion interval
(shutter closed time). The sequence of viewing interval followed by
occlusion interval should occur automatically without interruption
until the task is completed or the trial is terminated.
    OCC.5.b The initial condition for testing is occlusion in which a
test participant cannot see the device interface.
    OCC.5.c Task stimuli (e.g., addresses, phone numbers, etc.) are
provided to a test participant prior to the start of testing. When the
task stimuli are given to a test participant, the device should be
occluded (i.e., a test participant cannot see the device interface) and
it should remain occluded until after testing has begun.
    OCC.5.d Testing starts when a test participant tells the
experimenter that he or she is ready to begin. The experimenter then
triggers the alternating sequence of viewing intervals followed by
occlusion intervals. A test participant starts performing the task at
the beginning of the first viewing interval.
    OCC.5.e When a test participant has completed the task, he or she
tells the experimenter that the task has been completed. The
experimenter stops the shutter operation.
    OCC.5.f There should be an automatic means of recording the number
of shutter open intervals required to complete the task.
    OCC.6 Acceptance Criterion. A task should not be allowed to be
performed by drivers unless either (1) The vehicle's engine is not
running, or (2) the vehicle's transmission is in ``Park'' (automatic
transmission vehicles) or the vehicle's transmission is in ``Neutral''
and the parking brake is on (manual transmission vehicles), or (3) the
following criterion is met:

    OCC.6.a For at least twenty-one of the twenty-four test
participants, the task was successfully completed during six or fewer
viewing intervals (i.e., a maximum of 9.0 seconds of shutter open
time).
    OCC.7 Multiple Trials. To improve testing efficiency, multiple Data
Trials should be allowed to be made by the same subject. Only one
Familiarization Trial needs to be performed, prior to any desired
number of Data Trials. Also, multiple secondary tasks can be tested,
one after another, during the same Data Trial.

Option STEP: Step Counting

    STEP.1 Task analysis. A task analysis is performed to decompose the
secondary task being performed into an ordered sequence of its
elemental components that a driver would perform in order to
successfully complete a task. The elemental components of a task would
include such driver actions as:
     Pressing a single button,
     Glancing at a device display,
     Choosing an entry from a list,
     Picking up an object, or
     Putting down an object.
    STEP.2 Step Assignment. Each elemental component that constitutes a
secondary task is assigned a number of steps as follows:
    STEP.2.a Each time that a driver presses a single button, one step
is assigned except that if a driver is pressing the same button
multiple times in rapid succession (e.g., pressing the ``3'' button on
a telephone three times to indicate an ``f''), all of the multiple
button presses are assigned one step.
    STEP.2.b Each time that a driver looks at the device display, one
step is assigned.
    STEP.2.c Each time that a driver chooses from an entry in a list, a
variable number of steps are assigned. The number of steps assigned
depends upon the length of the list as follows:
    STEP.2.c.i If there are one through five entries in the list, then
five steps are assigned.
    STEP.2.c.ii If there are six through nine entries in the list, then
seven steps are assigned.
    STEP.2.c.iii If there are ten or more entries in the list, then
nine steps are assigned.
    STEP.2.d Each time a driver picks up an object, three steps are
assigned.
    STEP.2.e Each time a driver puts down an object, one step is
assigned.
    STEP.3 Add Steps Together. All of the steps that have been assigned
from all of the elemental components that constitute a secondary task
are added together. The resulting number is the number of steps to
perform that secondary task.
    STEP.4 Acceptance Criterion. A task should not be allowed to be
performed by drivers unless either (1) The vehicle's engine is not
running, or (2) the vehicle's transmission is in ``Park'' (automatic
transmission vehicles) or the vehicle's transmission is in ``Neutral''
and the parking brake is on (manual transmission vehicles), or (3) the
following criterion is met:
    STEP.4.a The number of steps to successfully complete the task is
six or less.

Option DS-BM: Driving Test Protocol With Benchmark

    DS-BM.1 Test Apparatus. Testing should be performed using a driving
simulator that meets the recommendations contained in Subsection VI.2
using the driving scenario described in Subsection VI.3.
    DS-BM.2 Lead Vehicle Speed. For this testing, the lead vehicle
should travel at a constant speed of 50 mph.
    DS-BM.3 Test Device. The device under investigation should be
operational and fitted to a vehicle or simulator buck.
    DS-BM.4 Test Participants.
    DS-BM.4.a Twenty-four test participants should be enrolled using
the procedures described in Subsection VI.4.
    DS-BM.4.b Test participants initially should be unfamiliar with the
device being tested. As part of the test protocol, they should be
trained in the use of the device(s) that are being tested using the
procedures described in Subsection VI.5.
    DS-BM.5 Test Instructions. Test instruction should be standardized
and be presented either in oral or written format. The display and
controls of the interface should be visible during instruction. An
instruction may be repeated at the request of a test participant.
    DS-BM.6 Number of Trials. Each test participant should drive the
driving scenario six (6) times, one time not performing any secondary
task (the Familiarization Trial), and five more times performing the
secondary task being studied (the Data Trials).
    DS-BM.7 Reference Task. During each Data Trial, in addition to the
secondary tasks that are being evaluated, a test participant should
perform one additional secondary task, Manual Radio Tuning. This Manual
Radio Tuning task serves as a reference task that is used to determine
whether the acceptance criteria listed in Subsection DS-BM.9, below,
are met.
    DS-BM.7.a The Manual Radio Tuning task should be performed as
follows:
    DS-BM.7.a.i Prior to the commencement of the Manual Radio Tuning
task, a test participant is told the frequency of the station to which
the radio is to be tuned.
    DS-BM.7.a.ii Initially the radio is ``On.'' If the radio controls
are part of an integrated vehicle display, the integrated display
should be set so that the radio controls are not active.
    DS-BM.7.a.iii If the radio controls are part of an integrated
vehicle display, a test participant performs the action(s) necessary to
make the radio controls active.
    DS-BM.7.a.iv A test participant changes the radio band selection
from AM to FM (or vice versa). The station that the radio is tuned to
immediately after this band selection is made should be referred to as
the Initial Station.
    DS-BM.7.a.v A test participant uses the radio tuning control to
tune the radio to the desired, new, station (referred to as the Final
Station) that is approximately one-third of the AM or FM (as
appropriate) band away from the Initial Station.
    DS-BM.7.a.vi The Manual Radio Tuning has been completed when the
radio has been successfully tuned to the Final Station.
    DS-BM.8 Metric Computation. Metric values should be determined
based on data recorded by the driving simulator from the start of a
secondary task to the end of a secondary task.
    DS-BM.8.a Based on the recorded lane position data, determine how
many lane exceedances occurred during each secondary task. A lane
exceedance occurs whenever either:
    DS-BM.8.a.i The right front or right rear tire of the vehicle is
totally to the right of the right lane edge line, or
    DS-BM.8.a.ii The left front or left rear tire of the vehicle is
totally to the left of the left lane edge line.
    DS-BM.8.a.iii No distinction is made between right and left side
lane exceedances. Similarly, no distinction is made as to whether only
the front tire, only the rear tire, or both tires have crossed the lane
edge line.
    DS-BM.8.b Based on the recorded data for headway (distance from the
subject vehicle to a lead vehicle), the time headway (headway divided
by the nominal travel speed of 50 mph) is calculated as a function of
time. The standard deviation of time headway during the secondary task
is calculated.
    DS-BM.9 Acceptance Criteria. A task should not be allowed to be
performed by drivers unless either (1) The vehicle's engine is not
running, or (2) the vehicle's transmission is in ``Park'' (automatic
transmission vehicles) or the vehicle's transmission is

in ``Neutral'' and the parking brake is on (manual transmission
vehicles), or (3) both of the following criteria are met:
    DS-BM.9.a The number of lane exceedances occurring while the
secondary task is being performed is not statistically significantly
greater, at the 95 percent confidence level, than the number of lane
exceedances occurring while the manual radio tuning task is being
performed.
    DS-BM.9.b The standard deviation of headway while the secondary
task is being performed is not statistically significantly greater, at
the 95 percent confidence level, than the standard deviation of headway
while the manual radio tuning is being performed.
    DS-BM.9.c Data from all five Data Trials is used when making the
statistical significance calculations required by DS-BM.9.a and DS-
BM.9.b.

Option DS-FC: Driving Test Protocol With Fixed Acceptance Criteria

    DS-FC.1 Test Apparatus. Testing should be performed using a driving
simulator that meets the recommendations contained in Subsection VI.2
using the driving scenario described in Subsection VI.3.
    DS-FC.2 Lead Vehicle Speed. For this testing, the lead vehicle
should travel at a constant speed of 50 mph.
    DS-FC.3 Test Device. The device under investigation should be
operational and fitted to a vehicle or simulator buck.
    DS-FC.4 Test Participants.
    DS-FC.4.a Twenty-four test participants should be enrolled using
the procedures described in Subsection VI.4.
    DS-FC.4.b Test participants initially should be unfamiliar with the
device being tested. As part of the test protocol, they should be
trained in the use of the device(s) that are being tested using the
procedures described in Subsection VI.5.
    DS-FC.5 Test Instructions. Test instruction should be standardized
and be presented either in oral or written format. The display and
controls of the interface should be visible during instruction. An
instruction may be repeated at the request of a test participant.
    DS-FC.6 Number of Trials. Each test participant should drive the
driving scenario six (6) times, one time not performing any secondary
task (the Familiarization Trial), and five more times performing the
secondary task being studied (the Data Trials).
    DS-FC.7 Metric Computation. Metric values should be determined
based on data recorded by the driving simulator from the start of a
secondary task to the end of a secondary task.
    DS-FC.7.a Based on the recorded lane position data, determine how
many lane exceedances occurred during each secondary task. A lane
exceedance occurs whenever either:
    DS-FC.7.a.i The right front or right rear tire of the vehicle is
totally to the right of the right lane edge line, or
    DS-FC.7.a.ii The left front or left rear tire of the vehicle is
totally to the left of the left lane edge line.
    DS-FC.7.a.iii No distinction is made between right and left side
lane exceedances. Similarly, no distinction is made as to whether only
the front tire, only the rear tire, or both tires have crossed the lane
edge line.
    DS-FC.7.b Based on the recorded data for headway (distance from the
subject vehicle to a lead vehicle), the time headway (headway divided
by the nominal travel speed of 50 mph) is calculated as a function of
time. The standard deviation of time headway during the secondary task
is calculated.
    DS-FC.8 Acceptance Criteria. A task should not be allowed to be
performed by drivers unless either (1) The vehicle's engine is not
running, or (2) the vehicle's transmission is in ``Park'' (automatic
transmission vehicles) or the vehicle's transmission is in ``Neutral''
and the parking brake is on (manual transmission vehicles), or (3) both
of the following criteria are met:
    DS-FC.8.a The number of lane exceedances occurring while the
secondary task is being performed is not statistically significantly
greater, at the 95 percent confidence level, than 0.06 lane exceedances
per secondary task performed.
    DS-FC.8.b The standard deviation of headway while the secondary
task is being performed is not statistically significantly greater, at
the 95 percent confidence level, than 0.35 seconds while a secondary
task is being performed.
    DS-FC.8.c Data from all five Data Trials is used when making the
statistical significance calculations required by DS-FC.8.a and DS-
FC.8.b.

Option DFD-BM: Dynamic Following and Detection Protocol With Benchmark

    DFD-BM.1 Test Apparatus. Testing should be performed using a
driving simulator that meets the recommendations contained in
Subsection VI.2 using the driving scenario described in Subsection
VI.3.
    DFD-BM.1.a For this testing, the vehicle being tested should
contain a route navigation system. If the vehicle does not have an
integrated route navigation system, a portable one may be used.
    DFD-BM.2 Lead Vehicle Speed. For this testing, the lead vehicle
should travel at a continually varying speed that is determined by
linear interpolation from a table of lead vehicle speed values versus
time. Multiple lead vehicle speed tables are used, with a different one
being used each time a test participant drives the simulator.
Electronic copies of these tables, in the form of Microsoft Excel
files, can be obtained from NHTSA.
    DFD-BM.3 Test Device. The device under investigation should be
operational and fitted to a vehicle or simulator buck.
    DFD-BM.4 Test Participants.
    DFD-BM.4.a Twenty-four test participants should be enrolled using
the procedures described in Subsection VI.4.
    DFD-BM.4.b Test participants initially should be unfamiliar with
the device being tested. As part of the test protocol, they should be
trained in the use of the device(s) that are being tested using the
procedures described in Subsection VI.5.
    DFD-BM.5 Test Instructions. Test instruction should be standardized
and be presented either in oral or written format. The display and
controls of the interface should be visible during instruction. An
instruction may be repeated at the request of a test participant.
    DFD-BM.6 Number of Trials. Each test participant should drive the
driving scenario two times, one time not performing any secondary task
(the Familiarization Trial), and a second time performing the secondary
task being studied (the Data Trial).
    DFD-BM.7 Eye Glance Determination. Eye glances are determined for
each test participant while performing each secondary task using the
techniques described in Subsection VI.6.
    DFD-BM.8 Reference Task. During each Data Trial, in addition to the
secondary tasks that are being evaluated, a test participant should
perform one additional secondary task, route navigation system
destination entry. This Destination Entry task serves as a reference
task that is used to determine whether the acceptance criteria listed
in Subsection DFD-BM.12, below, are met.
    DFD-BM.8.a The Destination Entry task should be performed as
follows:
    DFD-BM.8.a.i Initially the route navigation system is ``On.'' If
the route navigation system controls are part of an integrated vehicle
display, the integrated display should be set so that

the route navigation system controls are active.
    DFD-BM.8.a.ii A test participant enters a complete address (house
number, street name, city name, and state abbreviation) into the route
navigation system. Choosing from an entry in a list of either
previously entered destinations or landmarks is not acceptable.
    DFD-BM.8.a.iii The Destination Entry task has been completed when
the final button on the route navigation system is pressed to have the
system find the route to the address.
    DFD-BM.8.b Addresses chosen for testing should have a three or four
digit house number, and a nine through twelve character street name
(see details in DFD-BM.8.c), have a seven through ten character city
name (see details in DFD-BM.8.d), and have a two character state
abbreviation.
    DFD-BM.8.c The nine through twelve character street name should
always be two words with a space between them. The first word will be
the actual name, while the second word will be an abbreviation for the
type of street (Blvd, Ct, Rd, St, etc.). When determining the number of
characters in the street name, all characters of both the actual name
and the abbreviation as well as one character for the space in between
are counted.
    DFD-BM.8.c.i The route navigation system may use an auto-complete
feature after a portion of the street name has been entered. Having a
test participant choose from a list generated by an auto-complete
feature is acceptable.
    DFD-BM.8.d The seven through ten character city name should always
be one word.
    DFD-BM.8.d.i The route navigation system may use an auto-complete
feature after a portion of the city name has been entered. Having a
test participant choose from a list generated by an auto-complete
feature is acceptable. The auto-complete feature may make it
unnecessary for a test participant to enter the two character state
abbreviation.
    DFD-BM.8.e The route navigation system may have a test participant
enter a five-digit ZIP code instead of the city name and state
abbreviation.
    DFD-BM.9 Continuous Task Performance. Each secondary task is
continuously performed for 3 minutes during the car following portion
of the test (see Subsection VI.3.b.iv).
    DFD-BM.10 Visual Detection Task. During the car following portion
of the test, simultaneously with performing each secondary task, a test
participant also continuously performs the visual detection task that
is described below.
    DFD-BM.10.a As explained in Subsections VI.2.f and VI.2.g, for the
visual detection task, the driving simulator should display a series of
targets to be detected. Each target consists of a filled-in, solid, red
circle that is displayed in any one of six positions. Target dimensions
and positions are described in VI.2.f. When a test participant sees a
target appear, he or she should respond as quickly as possible by
pressing the micro-switch typically attached to their left index
finger.
    DFD-BM.10.b Outputs from the visual detection task consist of:
    DFD-BM.10.b.i The number of visual targets displayed during the car
following portion of the test.
    DFD-BM.10.b.ii The number of correctly identified visual targets
during the car following portion of the test (see Subsection VI.2.g.iii
for details on how to determine).
    DFD-BM.10.b.iii The Visual Detection Task Response Time, defined as
the time when the test participant pressed the micro-switch minus the
time when each visual target begins to display on the projection
screen, is calculated for each time that a test participant's response
was correct (see Subsection VI.2.g.iv for details on how to determine).
    DFD-BM.11 Metric Computation. Glance-by-glance Eyes-Off-Road Times,
Standard Deviation of Lane Position, Car Following Delay, Percent
Correctly Detected, and Visual Detection Task Response Time metrics
should be determined based on data recorded by the driving simulator
from the start of the 3 minutes of secondary task performance to the
end of the 3 minutes (the Data Interval). The following measures of
test participant performance are determined for each Data Interval:
    DFD-BM.11.a Glance-by-glance Eyes-Off-Road Times. The lengths of
eye glances away from the forward road scene are determined for each
test participant for each Data Interval using the techniques described
in Subsection VI.6.
    DFD-BM.11.b Standard Deviation of Lane Position. Based on the
recorded data for lane position, the Standard Deviation of Lane
Position during the Data Interval is determined.
    DFD-BM.11.c Car Following Delay. The Car Following Delay for each
Data Interval is calculated as follows:

[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN24FE12.060

    DFD-BM.11.d Percent Correctly Detected. For each Data Interval, the
Percent Correctly Detected is equal to the percentage obtained by
dividing the number of a test participant's correct responses by the
total number of targets displayed during a trial.
    DFD-BM.11.e Visual Detection Task Response Time. As explained in
Subsection VI.2.g.iii, the Visual Detection Task Response Time is
calculated for each target that is displayed during a Data Interval for
which a test participant gave a correct response.

    DFD-BM.12 Acceptance Criteria. A task should not be allowed to be
performed by drivers unless either (1) The vehicle's engine is not
running, or (2) the vehicle's transmission is in ``Park'' (automatic
transmission vehicles) or the vehicle's transmission is in ``Neutral''
and the parking brake is on (manual transmission vehicles), or (3) both
of the recommendations DFD-BM.12.a and DFD-BM.12.b are met:
    DFD-BM.12.a A secondary task meets the recommendations of DFD-
BM.12.a if it satisfies all three of the following criteria:
    DFD-BM.12.a.i For at least 21 of the 24 test participants, no more
than 15 percent (rounded up) of the total number of eye glances away
from the forward road scene should have durations of greater than 2.0
seconds while performing the secondary task.
    DFD-BM.12.a.ii For at least 21 of the 24 test participants, the
mean of all eye glances away from the forward road scene should be less
than 2.0 seconds while performing the secondary task.
    DFD-BM.12.a.iii For at least 21 of the 24 test participants, the
sum of the durations of each individual participant's eye glances away
from the forward road scene should be less than, or equal to, 12.0
seconds while performing the secondary task one time.
    DFD-BM.12.b A secondary task meets the recommendations of DFD-
BM.12.b if it satisfies at least three of the following four criteria:
    DFD-BM.12.b.i The Standard Deviation of Lane Position during the
Data Intervals is statistically significantly less, at the 95 percent
confidence level, than the Standard Deviation of Lane Position during
the Data Intervals for the Destination Entry task.
    DFD-BM.12.b.ii The Car Following Delay during the Data Intervals is
statistically significantly less, at the 95 percent confidence level,
than the Car Following Delay during the Data Intervals for the
Destination Entry task.
    DFD-BM.12.b.iii The Percent Correctly Detected during the Data
Intervals is statistically significantly greater, at the 95 percent
confidence level, than the Percent Correctly Detected during the Data
Intervals for the Destination Entry task.
    DFD-BM.12.b.iv The Visual Detection Task Response Time during the
Data Intervals is statistically significantly less, at the 95 percent
confidence level, than the Visual Detection Task Response Time during
the Data Intervals for the Destination Entry task.
    DFD-BM.13 Testing Procedure Items.
    DFD-BM.13.a To prevent familiarity with the lead vehicle's speed
profile from becoming an issue, a different speed profile should be
used for each test participant drive on the driving simulator.
    DFD-BM.13.b It is acceptable for each test participant to perform
multiple secondary tasks in a single test participation session.
However, a test participant should not be tested performing more than
six secondary tasks in a single session.
    DFD-BM.13.c Each test participant should only be tested for one 3-
minute interval while performing the same secondary task.
    DFD-BM.14 Multiple Trials. To improve testing efficiency, multiple
Data Trials should be allowed to be made by the same subject. Only one
Familiarization Trial needs to be performed, prior to any desired
number of Data Trials. Also, multiple secondary tasks can be tested,
one after another, during the same Data Trial.

Option DFD-FC: Dynamic Following and Detection Protocol With Fixed
Acceptance Criteria

    DFD-FC.1 Test Apparatus. Testing should be performed using a
driving simulator that meets the recommendations contained in
Subsection VI.2 using the driving scenario described in Subsection
VI.3.
    DFD-FC.1.a For this testing, the vehicle being tested should
contain a route navigation system. If the vehicle does not have an
integrated route navigation system, a portable one may be used.
    DFD-FC.2 Lead Vehicle Speed. For this testing, the lead vehicle
should travel at a continually varying speed that is determined by
linear interpolation from a table of lead vehicle speed values versus
time. Multiple lead vehicle speed tables are used, with a different one
being used each time a test participant drives the simulator.
Electronic copies of these tables, in the form of Microsoft Excel
files, can be obtained from NHTSA.
    DFD-FC.3 Test Device. The device under investigation should be
operational and fitted to a vehicle or simulator buck.
    DFD-FC.4 Test Participants.
    DFD-FC.4.a Twenty-four test participants should be enrolled using
the procedures described in Subsection VI.4.
    DFD-FC.4.b Test participants initially should be unfamiliar with
the device being tested. As part of the test protocol, they should be
trained in the use of the device(s) that are being tested using the
procedures described in Subsection VI.5.
    DFD-FC.5 Test Instructions. Test instruction should be standardized
and be presented either in oral or written format. The display and
controls of the interface should be visible during instruction. An
instruction may be repeated at the request of a test participant.
    DFD-FC.6 Number of Trials. Each test participant should drive the
driving scenario two times, one time not performing any secondary task
(the Familiarization Trial), and a second time performing the secondary
task being studied (the Data Trial).
    DFD-FC.7 Eye Glance Determination. Eye glances are determined for
each test participant while performing each secondary task using the
techniques described in Subsection VI.6.
    DFD-FC.8 Continuous Task Performance. Each secondary task is
continuously performed for 3 minutes during the car following portion
of the test (see Subsection VI.3.b.iv).
    DFD-FC.9 Visual Detection Task. During the car following portion of
the test, simultaneously with performing each secondary task, a test
participant also continuously performs the visual detection task that
is described below.
    DFD-FC.9.a As explained in Subsections VI.2.f and VI.2.g, for the
visual detection task, the driving simulator should display a series of
targets to be detected. Each target consists of a filled-in, solid, red
circle that is displayed in any one of six positions. Target dimensions
and positions are described in VI.2.f. When a test participant sees a
target appear, he or she should respond as quickly as possible by
pressing the micro-switch typically attached to their left index
finger.
    DFD-FC.9.b Outputs from the visual detection task consist of:
    DFD-FC.9.b.i The number of visual targets displayed during the car
following portion of the test.
    DFD-FC.9.b.ii The number of correctly identified visual targets
during the car following portion of the test (see Subsection VI.2.g.iii
for details on how to determine).
    DFD-FC.9.b.iii The Visual Detection Task Response Time, defined as
the time when the test participant pressed the micro-switch minus the
time when each target begins to display on the projection screen, is
calculated for each time that a test participant's response was correct
(see Subsection VI.2.g.iv for details on how to determine).
    DFD-FC.10 Metric Computation. Glance-by-glance Eyes-Off-Road Times,

Standard Deviation of Lane Position, Car Following Delay, Percent
Correctly Detected, and Visual Detection Task Response Time metrics
should be determined based on data recorded by the driving simulator
from the start of the 3 minutes of secondary task performance to the
end of the 3 minutes (the Data Interval). The following measures of
test participant performance are determined for each Data Interval:
    DFD-FC.10.a Glance-by-glance Eyes-Off-Road Times. The lengths of
eye glances away from the forward road scene are determined for each
test participant for each Data Interval using the techniques described
in Subsection VI.6.
    DFD-FC.10.b Standard Deviation of Lane Position. Based on the
recorded data for lane position, the Standard Deviation of Lane
Position during the Data Interval is determined.
    DFD-FC.10.c Car Following Delay. The Car Following Delay for each
Data Interval is calculated as follows:

[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN24FE12.061

    DFD-FC.10.d Percent Correctly Detected. For each Data Interval, the
Percent Correctly Detected is equal to the percentage obtained by
dividing the number of a test participant's correct responses by the
total number of targets displayed on the screen during the trial.
    DFD-FC.10.e Visual Detection Task Response Time. As explained in
Subsection VI.2.g.iii, the Visual Detection Task Response Time is
calculated for each target that is displayed during a Data Interval for

which a test participant gave a correct response.
    DFD-FC.11 Acceptance Criteria. A task should not be allowed to be
performed by drivers unless either (1) The vehicle's engine is not
running, or (2) the vehicle's transmission is in ``Park'' (automatic
transmission vehicles) or the vehicle's transmission is in ``Neutral''
and the parking brake is on (manual transmission vehicles), or (3) both
of the recommendations DFD-FC.11.a and DFD-FC.11.b are met:
    DFD-FC.11.a A secondary task meets the recommendations of DFD-
FC.11.a if it satisfies all three of the following criteria:
    DFD-FC.11.a.i For at least 21 of the 24 test participants, no more
than 15 percent (rounded up) of the total number of eye glances away
from the forward road scene should have durations of greater than 2.0
seconds while performing the secondary task.
    DFD-FC.11.a.ii For at least 21 of the 24 test participants, the
mean of all eye glances away from the forward road scene should be less
than 2.0 seconds while performing the secondary task.
    DFD-FC.11.a.iii For at least 21 of the 24 test participants, the
sum of the durations of each individual participant's eye glances away
from the forward road scene should be less than, or equal to, 12.0
seconds while performing the secondary task one time.
    DFD-FC.11.b A secondary task meets the recommendations of DFD-
FC.11.b if it satisfies at least three of the following four criteria:
    DFD-FC.11.b.i The Standard Deviation of Lane Position during the
Data Intervals is not statistically significantly greater, at the 95
percent confidence level, than 1.0 feet.
    DFD-FC.11.b.ii The mean Car Following Delay during the Data
Intervals is not statistically significantly greater, at the 95 percent
confidence level, than 4.6 seconds.
    DFD-FC.11.b.iii The mean Percent Detected during the Data Intervals
is statistically significantly greater, at the 95 percent confidence
level, than 80 percent.
    J11.b.iv The mean Visual Detection Task Response Time during the
Data Intervals is not statistically significantly greater, at the 95
percent confidence level, than 1.0 second.
    DFD-FC.12 Testing Procedure Items.
    DFD-FC.12.a To prevent familiarity with the lead vehicle's speed
profile from becoming an issue, a different speed profile should be
used for each test participant drive on the driving simulator.
    DFD-FC.12.b It is acceptable for each test participant to perform
multiple secondary tasks in a single test participation session.
However, a test participant should not be tested performing more than
six secondary tasks in a single session.
    DFD-FC.12.c Each test participant should only be tested for one 3-
minute interval while performing the same secondary task.
    DFD-FC.13 Multiple Trials. To improve testing efficiency, multiple
Data Trials should be allowed to be made by the same subject. Only one
Familiarization Trial needs to be performed, prior to any desired
number of Data Trials. Also, multiple secondary tasks can be tested,
one after another, during the same Data Trial.
    VII. Recommendations for Passenger Operated Devices. These
guidelines primarily are appropriate for driver interfaces of devices
intended for use by a driver. They are appropriate to a limited extent
for devices intended for use by front seat passengers.
    VII.1 Apply if Within Reach or View of Driver. These guidelines are
appropriate for devices that can reasonably be reached and seen by a
driver even if they are intended for use solely by front seat
passengers.
    VII.2 Not for Rear Seat Devices. These guidelines are not
appropriate for devices that are located solely behind the front seat
of the vehicle.
    VIII. Recommendations for Aftermarket and Portable Devices.
    VIII.1 Aftermarket and Portable Device Guidelines in Future. NHTSA
intends, in the future, to extend its NHTSA Guidelines to cover
aftermarket and portable devices. At that time, NHTSA may revise the
metrics contained in the current guidelines or introduce new metrics.
    VIII.2 Unreasonable Risks With Aftermarket and Portable Devices.
NHTSA reminds manufacturers that they are responsible for ensuring that
aftermarket and portable devices they produce which may reasonably be
expected to be used by vehicle drivers do not create unreasonable risks
to the driving public.
    IX. Recommendations for Voice Interfaces.
    IX.1 Auditory-Vocal Interface Guidelines (Future). NHTSA intends,
in the future, to extend its NHTSA Guidelines to cover the auditory-
vocal aspects of device interfaces. For now, only devices with tasks
performed through visual-manual interfaces and/or a combination of
visual-manual and auditory-vocal means are covered by the
recommendations that are contained in these guidelines.
    IX.2 Unreasonable Risks with Auditory-Vocal Interfaces. NHTSA
reminds manufacturers that they are responsible for ensuring that
devices they produce which have auditory-vocal portions of their
interfaces do not create unreasonable risks to the driving public.

    Issued on: February 15, 2012.
David L. Strickland,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2012-4017 Filed 2-16-12; 11:15 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-59-P