Bus Stop Spotting: A Field Experiment Comparing 2D Maps, Augmented Reality and 3D Maps

Urban environments can be challenging to navigate due to the often ambiguous, sometimes even repetitive cues, combined with the cognitive pressure of busy surroundings. The last step of navigation, reaching the goal, may still be frustrating for an unfamiliar target. We pursue a visualization for instantaneous identification of a proximal but ambiguous target, freeing us from turn-by-turn guidance. We present a field experiment for bus stop spotting in a central public transport hub using a 2D map, augmented reality (AR), and realistic 3D maps at oblique bird's eye view and at ground level. 3D Bird's eye view provided fastest responses and highest success rates. AR and 2D map provided slowest responses and lowest success rates. 3D ground level view performed between these, but without a significant difference to AR and 2D map. 3D Bird's Eye view was considered the most useful modality by subjects, and was also selected as the preferred modality.