User Experience in the U.S. and Germany of In-Vehicle Touch Screens with Integrated Haptic and Auditory Feedback

Touch screens provide substantial benefits as a control and display system but still have some disadvantages. The availability of haptic (tactile) technology allows touch screens to function similarly to traditional mechanical controls.

Two studies were undertaken to investigate the addition of haptic feedback as well as auditory feedback on user perceptions of the touch screen experience. The first study was conducted in a desktop setting and the second study was conducted with the touch screen integrated in a vehicle. In both studies, participants assessed four different types of feedback conditions: visual feedback only (V), auditory and visual feedback (AV), haptic and visual feedback (HV), and auditory, haptic, and visual feedback combined (AHV).

The results of these studies support the claim that individuals strongly prefer touch screen implementations that incorporate haptic elements and also provide insights on regional differences in their perception.