A multilevel interface for an intelligent transport system

Aim of this work is to present a metaphor based multilevel interface for an Intelligent Transport System (ITS) designed to handle the transport of hazardous materials. This ITS was developed by the authors in the framework of a research project funded by Apulia Region (Italy). Starting from monitoring some parameters of a vehicle in motion such as position, speed, load balancing, stress conditions, etc., this system identifies various situations such as driver´s behavior, hazardous conditions, and so on. In order to represent this information, the authors propose a multi level metaphor based graphic user interface (GUI). The first level of the interface allows for a rapid system view at a glance and is oriented to unskilled users while the second level reports more detailed information for the expert users.