Overview
EN ISO 17287:2003 - "Road vehicles - Ergonomic aspects of transport information and control systems - Procedure for assessing suitability for use while driving" provides a structured, user‑oriented procedure to assess whether specific transport information and control systems (TICS) are suitable for use by drivers while driving. Published by CEN and identical to ISO 17287:2003, the standard focuses on ergonomics and usability as they affect the primary driving task and describes how to document assessment outcomes during design and development.
Key topics and requirements
- User‑oriented TICS description and context of use
- Define drivers, tasks, device hardware/software, environment and foreseeable misuse, improper use and system failure.
- TICS task description and analysis
- Break down driver–system interactions and identify task demands on attention, perception and control.
- Assessment process
- Conduct a prospective suitability assessment that evaluates compatibility with the primary driving task.
- Assess suitability as a property of the whole TICS in interaction with the driver and driving environment.
- Core suitability components
- Interference: adverse influence on driver’s ability to control the vehicle.
- Controllability: driver’s ability to influence system function and interaction pace.
- Efficiency: resource expenditure (mental, physical, sensory) relative to task goals.
- Ease of learning: how readily drivers acquire necessary skills and knowledge.
- Documentation
- Record context, task analyses, assessment methods, identified issues and how they were addressed.
- Important limitations
- The standard does not prescribe specific measurement variables nor define numeric pass/fail criteria - users select methods and thresholds appropriate to their products.
Applications and who should use it
- Automotive manufacturers integrating or developing in‑vehicle information and control systems.
- System integrators combining components from multiple suppliers into vehicle architectures.
- Human factors / ergonomics professionals performing usability and safety assessments of driver interfaces.
- Regulatory bodies and fleet operators seeking documented evidence of suitability evaluations before deployment.
- Quality and design teams embedding usability assessment into development life‑cycle to reduce driver distraction and unintended behavioural adaptation.
Practical uses include early‑stage suitability evaluation, comparative assessments of candidate designs, and documenting mitigation actions for identified safety/usability issues in TICS.
Related standards
- ISO 15005 - Dialogue management principles and compliance procedures for TICS.
- ISO 15008 - In‑vehicle visual presentation specifications and compliance procedures.
- Adopted in Europe as EN ISO 17287:2003 (CEN).
Keywords: EN ISO 17287:2003, ISO 17287:2003, TICS, transport information and control systems, suitability assessment, ergonomics, road vehicles, driver usability.
