Abstract
Icons are essential visual elements in vehicle cabins, serving as key conduits for presenting information. As in-vehicle infotainment systems grow increasingly complex, it becomes critical to understand how different types of icons influence the interaction effectiveness across different user groups. This study investigates the effects of icon type and individual cognitive differences on in-vehicle interaction effectiveness, employing a 2×2 mixed experimental design with two independent variables: icon type (i.e., abstract versus concrete) and drivers’ construal level (i.e., high versus low). Results show that icon type significantly affects reaction time, perceived matchiness, and cognitive fluency, while construal level independently modulates cognitive fluency. These findings underscore the value of aligning icon concreteness with users’ cognitive styles to enhance cognitive fluency, reduce visual demand, which may improve decision accuracy in driving-related interactions. This research provides actionable insights for the design of personalized, context-aware visual interfaces that promote safer and more efficient driving.
Keywords
In-vehicle icon, Visual cognition, Construal level, Icon concreteness
DOI
https://doi.org/10.21606/drs.2026.1701
Citation
He, W., Leng, M., and Huang, C. (2026) Design considerations for effective in-vehicle interaction: The effects of icon type and individual heterogeneity, in Simeone, L., Gray, C. M., Verhoeven, A., de Götzen, A., Bakırlıoğlu, Y., Zohar, H., Stead, M., and Buwert, P. (eds.), DRS2026: Edinburgh, 8–12 June, Edinburgh, United Kingdom. https://doi.org/10.21606/drs.2026.1701
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License
Included in
Design considerations for effective in-vehicle interaction: The effects of icon type and individual heterogeneity
Icons are essential visual elements in vehicle cabins, serving as key conduits for presenting information. As in-vehicle infotainment systems grow increasingly complex, it becomes critical to understand how different types of icons influence the interaction effectiveness across different user groups. This study investigates the effects of icon type and individual cognitive differences on in-vehicle interaction effectiveness, employing a 2×2 mixed experimental design with two independent variables: icon type (i.e., abstract versus concrete) and drivers’ construal level (i.e., high versus low). Results show that icon type significantly affects reaction time, perceived matchiness, and cognitive fluency, while construal level independently modulates cognitive fluency. These findings underscore the value of aligning icon concreteness with users’ cognitive styles to enhance cognitive fluency, reduce visual demand, which may improve decision accuracy in driving-related interactions. This research provides actionable insights for the design of personalized, context-aware visual interfaces that promote safer and more efficient driving.