Adapting Eco-Driving Feedback and Historical Visualization for Vessel Dashboards

Abstract

Maritime navigation is a significant source of greenhouse gas emissions. While large-scale cargo shipping is the major contributor, smaller maritime operations, including patrolling, fishing, public transit, and recreation, present unique challenges and opportunities for power management. Fuel consumption, power conversion, and environmental data can permit environmentally conscious and cost-effective decision-making when driving a boat. To achieve this, we need to understand how best to integrate such data into boat dashboard interfaces. In this work, we design an Eco Dashboard inspired by eco-driving feedback dashboards in the automotive industry, as well as a variant of the Eco Dashboard that additionally visualizes historical route and fuel consumption data (Eco + Historical Dashboard). In an experimental simulation (N = 30) involving 12 experienced mariners and 18 novices, we compared both interfaces with a typical boat dashboard that presented fuel and speed. Our findings suggest that dashboards incorporating historical data, alongside eco-driving features, improve fuel efficiency and decision-making, particularly for non-experienced users. The Eco Dashboard supported real-time adjustments during complex navigation, whereas the Eco + Historical Dashboard enhanced route planning and confidence in longer-term decisions. Participants also reported greater confidence and reduced cognitive load when using these systems. These results provide valuable insights for the future design of maritime dashboard systems, offering a pathway to more effective and environmentally conscious navigation tools.