The persistence of distraction: The hidden costs of intermittent multitasking.

We examined the hidden costs of intermittent multitasking. Participants performed a pursuit-tracking task (Experiment 1) or drove in a high-fidelity driving simulator (Experiment 2) by itself or while concurrently performing an easy or difficult backwards counting task that periodically started and stopped, creating on-task and off-task multitasking epochs. A novel application of the Detection Response Task (DRT), a standardized protocol for measuring cognitive workload (ISO 17488, 2016), was used to measure performance in the on-task and off-task intervals.

The smartphone and the driver's cognitive workload: A comparison of Apple, Google, and Microsoft's intelligent personal assistants.

The goal of this research was to examine the impact of voice-based interactions using 3 different intelligent personal assistants (Apple's , Google's for Android phones, and Microsoft's ) on the cognitive workload of the driver. In 2 experiments using an instrumented vehicle on suburban roadways, we measured the cognitive workload of drivers when they used the voice-based features of each smartphone to place a call, select music, or send text messages. Cognitive workload was derived from primary task performance through video analysis, secondary-task performance using the Detection Response Task (DRT), and subjective mental workload.

Talking to your car can drive you to distraction.

This research examined the impact of in-vehicle information system (IVIS) interactions on the driver's cognitive workload; 257 subjects participated in a weeklong evaluation of the IVIS interaction in one of ten different model-year 2015 automobiles. After an initial assessment of the cognitive workload associated with using the IVIS, participants took the vehicle home for 5 days and practiced using the system. At the end of the 5 days of practice, participants returned and the workload of these IVIS interactions was reassessed.

Assessing Cognitive Distraction in the Automobile.

Objective: The objective was to establish a systematic framework for measuring and understanding cognitive distraction in the automobile.

Background: Driver distraction from secondary in-vehicle activities is increasingly recognized as a significant source of injuries and fatalities on the roadway.

Method: Across three studies, participants completed eight in-vehicle tasks commonly performed by the driver of an automobile.