Reality Head-Up Display Navigation Design in Extreme Weather Conditions: Enhancing Driving Experience in Rain and Fog

This study investigates the impact of extreme weather conditions (specifically heavy rain and fog) on drivers’ situational awareness by analyzing variations in illumination levels. The primary objective is to identify optimal color wavelengths for low-light environments, thereby providing a theoretical foundation for the design of augmented reality head-up display in adverse weather conditions. A within-subjects experimental design was employed with 26 participants in a simulated driving environment. Participants were exposed to different illumination levels and AR-HUD colors. Eye-tracking metrics, including fixation duration, visit duration, and fixation count, were recorded alongside situational awareness ratings to assess cognitive load and information processing efficiency. The results revealed that the yellow AR-HUD significantly enhanced situational awareness and reduced cognitive load in foggy conditions. While subjective assessments indicated no substantial effect of lighting conditions, objective measurements demonstrated the superior effectiveness of the yellow AR-HUD under foggy weather. These findings suggest that yellow AR-HUD navigation icons are more suitable for extreme weather environments, offering potential improvements in driving performance and overall road safety.