Study shows that typeface choice has safety benefits

Darren

Research conducted by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Monotype Image Holding Inc has demonstrated that certain typeface styles can reduce the glance time for driver information systems.

Studies demonstrated that there was a marked and consistent reduction in the time spent looking at information displays when they used certain typeface styles.

With the increase in information presented to drivers from navigation, driver information and multi-media systems, the results make interesting reading. At highway speeds, the reduction in time spent absorbing information equated to a distance travelled of 50 feet.

Monotype's Frutiger typeface produced the best results in the test, conducted with 82 participants aged between 36 and 75.

Source: MIT Age Lab

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Darren Griffin

M8TJT

navtrav · Posted: Fri Sep 28, 2012 9:51 am Post subject:

As a former newspaper page designer, I have been involved in quite a few redesigns and I totally agree with M8TJT.

I am also in agreement about the importance of colour (interesting that the majority of newspaper headlines are still black) and especially Sygic’s poor design.

While I like their maps, the information bar is very poor, even worse if you ‘click’ on it for the further menu. I’ve learnt the position of ‘cancel route’ because I cannot read it.

Even knowing where it is, it is too small. Invariably I’m trying to hit it to stop the annoying, re-routing do a u-turn nag when I know better) only to find I’ve hit the wrong choice and I then need to stop the car and do a complete reset.

I found even if I switch the phone off, the app keeps going with its annoying verbal nag. I have to exit the app – not an easy thing to do with the small menus when trying to concentrate on the road.

Yes, a poor design.
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Tim
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Samsung Galaxy S4, Galaxy Tablet S, TomTom. Osmand+ and Sygic. Ex-TomTom Go 1000 Live, ex-TomTom Go 700, ex-TomTom truck, ex Navman/Ipaq

peterc10 · Posted: Fri Sep 28, 2012 10:26 am Post subject:

All of this was known over 50 years ago when the UK's motorway system and its traffic signs were being designed. Been some interesting TV programmes recently (on BBC4 I think) on how the design was developed and the choice of colours, fonts etc.
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Peter
HTC Sensation
Sygic GPS for Europe (No more TT "support"!)
Copilot for USA
Bury CC9060 bluetooth car kit & Brodit mount

MaFt · Posted: Fri Sep 28, 2012 10:45 am Post subject:

peterc10 · Posted: Fri Sep 28, 2012 10:55 am Post subject:

The first one was dedicated to the signs I think and yes it was fascinating. And then parts of it were included in the history of motorways series they also ran.
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Peter
HTC Sensation
Sygic GPS for Europe (No more TT "support"!)
Copilot for USA
Bury CC9060 bluetooth car kit & Brodit mount

M8TJT · Posted: Fri Sep 28, 2012 11:22 am Post subject:

So what we can gather from this is that Monotype's 'recent discovery' isn't recent, is just a sales ploy Rolling Eyes

66Mustang · Posted: Fri Sep 28, 2012 1:44 pm Post subject:

Basically, yes. Jock Kinnear and Margaret Calvert came up with 'Transport' and 'Motorway' fonts for that very reason. Lower case is preferred as the shape of the word is what you recognise from a distance rather than reading it.

Andy_P · Posted: Fri Sep 28, 2012 1:48 pm Post subject:

Maybe Comic Sans isn't so bad after all!

It's one of the few fonts that has an "a" in the same shape that every child learns to write it.
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"Settling in nicely" ;-)

navtrav · Posted: Fri Sep 28, 2012 1:54 pm Post subject:

M8TJT · Posted: Fri Sep 28, 2012 4:21 pm Post subject:

adm143 · Occasional Visitor Joined: Jan 20, 2009 Posts: 9

M8TJT · Posted: Sat Sep 29, 2012 9:17 am Post subject:

Thanks adm143. I actually looked for that before I posted my last, but couldn't find it Very Happy

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