Dept. of Ophthalmology, ‘VillaToniolo’, Bologna, Italy ARE WHITE INSTRUMENTS ANY GOOD ? THE POINT OF VIEW OF AN OPHTHALMOLOGIST Please download and read the written Word file to follow this presentation Stefano Pasini M.D. Dept. of Ophthalmology, ‘VillaToniolo’, Bologna, Italy 20/09/2018 Dott. Stefano Pasini MD

The ‘Speedometer’ is, according to EC Directive 75/443/EEC, amended with a Commission Directive 97/39/EC of 24 June 1997, ‘that part of the speedometer equipment which indicates to the driver the speed of his vehicle at any given moment.’ 20/09/2018 Dott. Stefano Pasini MD

Driving an automobile is a complex visual task: 90% of the information necessary to drive a motor vehicle is acquired visually 20/09/2018 Dott. Stefano Pasini MD

The driver’s primary task is looking at the road ahead The driver’s primary task is looking at the road ahead. In-car tasks are secondary tasks: interfaces and controls must be designed to allow the driver a quick, effortless interaction with them, not only for ‘style’ 20/09/2018 Dott. Stefano Pasini MD

EC type-approval legislation, “Council Directive 75/443/EEC of 26 June 1975 on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to the reverse and speedometer equipment of motor vehicles”. (…) 4. SPECIFICATIONS 4.1. The speedometer display shall be situated in the driver's direct field of vision and shall be clearly legible both by day and by night. The range of speeds indicated must be large enough to include the maximum speed given by the manufacturer for the type of vehicle. 4.2. Where the speedometer has a scale, as distinct from a digital display, it shall be clearly legible. 4.2.1. The graduations shall be of 1, 2, 5 or 10 km/h. The values of the speed, multiples of 20 km/h, shall be indicated on the dial. 20/09/2018 Dott. Stefano Pasini MD

Elementary sampling model for in-car task performance (adapted from Wierwille, 1993) 20/09/2018 Dott. Stefano Pasini MD

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A good panel 20/09/2018 Dott. Stefano Pasini MD

A good layout: the essential data are displayed simply and efficiently on this IP, just a few degrees under the driver’s line of sight for the primary task. Please note that the speedometer is more readable than the other dials and that the blue main beam warning light is clearly visible amongst the other green light spots 20/09/2018 Dott. Stefano Pasini MD

The speedometer is easily readable even in extreme conditions of ambient illuminance and the navigator screen is placed so that the drivers’ peripheral vision can catch a glimpse of what is happening on the road ahead even when trying to locate a road on the map 20/09/2018 Dott. Stefano Pasini MD

It is generally easier to ‘see’ the vertical and horizontal arms of this cross than the oblique ones. H-V arms have a longer permanence (From G. Kanizsa: La Grammatica del Vedere, Il Mulino, 1980) 20/09/2018 Dott. Stefano Pasini MD

White dials: innovative? Speedometer of a 1929 Alfa Romeo. White dial, black number and hand 20/09/2018 Dott. Stefano Pasini MD

White dials White dials by day in a modern high-performance sports car: good contrast and readability 20/09/2018 Dott. Stefano Pasini MD

A GOOD CHOICE: WHITE DIAL (BACKGROUND) BLACK NUMERALS AND HANDS (TARGETS) 20/09/2018 Dott. Stefano Pasini MD

RED/ORANGE TARGETS ON A BLACK BACKGROUND ARE EASY TO READ AND DISTURB MESOPIC ADAPTATION LESS THAN WHITE OR GREEN TARGETS 20/09/2018 Dott. Stefano Pasini MD

SHORTCOMINGS OF BACKLIT SPEEDOMETERS White/Light Grey background, Dark Grey non-illuminated Target at dusk, lights OFF 20/09/2018 Dott. Stefano Pasini MD

Italian ‘Ministero dei Trasporti’ data after the introduction of Daytime Running Lights: Crashes, -5,9% (225,141 in 2003 vs. 237,812 in 2002), in 2003 Deaths, -10,7% (6,017 in 2003 vs 6,736 in 2002). In northern areas like the A4 Milano-Torino highway where light may be scarce (weather is often rainy or foggy) and traffic is extremely dense, the reduction of accidents favored by DRL has been even more dramatic: in the Jan-Nov period of 2004 there was a 28,37% decrease of the accidents in respect to the same period of 2003; wounded decreased by 9,20% and deaths by 63,64%. 20/09/2018 Dott. Stefano Pasini MD

SHORTCOMINGS OF BACKLIT SPEEDOMETERS White/Light Grey background, Dark Grey non-illuminated Target at dusk, lights ON 20/09/2018 Dott. Stefano Pasini MD

SHORTCOMINGS OF BACKLIT SPEEDOMETERS White/Light Grey background, Dark Grey non-illuminated Target at dusk, lights ON 20/09/2018 Dott. Stefano Pasini MD

The result of a light-coloured dial with backlit numerals at dusk The result of a light-coloured dial with backlit numerals at dusk. Contrast is extremely low and the IP analogue dials are actually unreadable 20/09/2018 Dott. Stefano Pasini MD

SHORTCOMINGS OF BACKLIT SPEEDOMETERS Yellow background, Dark Grey non-illuminated Target at dusk, lights OFF 20/09/2018 Dott. Stefano Pasini MD

SHORTCOMINGS OF BACKLIT SPEEDOMETERS White/Light Grey background, illuminated (amber) target at night, lights on 20/09/2018 Dott. Stefano Pasini MD

SHORTCOMINGS OF BACKLIT SPEEDOMETERS White/Light Grey background, illuminated (amber) target at dusk, lights on 20/09/2018 Dott. Stefano Pasini MD

(Original, non-retouched photo) The white dials at dusk in a modern high-performance sports car: equiluminance of background and numerals (targets). Color contrast is very low as well, so that it is not possible to reach the threshold of the Minimally Distinct Border and it is impossible to know what speed the car is traveling without reading the digital display (Original, non-retouched photo) 20/09/2018 Dott. Stefano Pasini MD

Another excellent example of good IP: black dial with backlit numerals at dusk. Contrast is extremely good and the IP analogue dials are perfectly readable 20/09/2018 Dott. Stefano Pasini MD

Nearly perfect: black dials, white numerals with orange needles Nearly perfect: black dials, white numerals with orange needles. Contrast is extremely good and the analogue dials are perfectly readable 20/09/2018 Dott. Stefano Pasini MD

There are, in every age, new errors to be rectified and new prejudices to be opposed. Samuel Johnson 20/09/2018 Dott. Stefano Pasini MD