Gaze-aware in-car interfaces

Gaze is a primary indicator of visual attention, playing a subtle yet essential role in expressing attention and coordinating interaction. In driving scenarios, gaze-tracking technology opens up possibilities for more responsive and dynamic interfaces that react to the driver’s visual attention, creating opportunities to reduce driving distraction while enriching interaction experiences. In this thesis, I explored how gaze, as an input modality, could be integrated into interactions with the PHUD (Panoramic Head-Up Display) to facilitate calmer and more intuitive experiences. More specifically, I investigated how different aspects of micro-interaction, such as gaze dwell time, information density, and changes in visual properties, influence the experience of gaze-based interaction in driving scenarios, and how gaze could function as an indication of interest when combined with more explicit input channels such as touch and voice. During this project, I followed a research-through-design approach, in which design artefacts — particularly variations of the gaze interaction prototypes — served as the primary experimental materials. A series of prototype tests was conducted in a simulated driving environment with internal users, aiming to explore questions such as how information density and visual changes influence glanceability and driving distraction, which dwell time best balances controllability and required effort, and how gaze feedback (e.g., gaze hover effects) influences the interaction experience. Based on the quantitative and qualitative data collected, a series of design strategies was proposed for designing with this novel interaction modality in driving contexts.