Multimodal Machine Learning Framework for Driver Mental Workload Classification: A Comparative and Interpretable Approach

Xiaojun Shao, Xiaoxiang Ma, Feng Chen, Xiaodong Pan

Understanding and monitoring driver mental workload is essential for improving road safety. This study proposes a multimodal machine learning framework to classify drivers’ mental workload using eye movement metrics, physiological signals, and driving behavior features. A driving simulator experiment was conducted with 26 participants under two workload levels induced by a secondary auditory task. Seven feature combinations and six classification algorithms were evaluated. The results showed that eye metrics were the most informative modality, and that feature selection had a greater impact on classification performance than algorithm choice. A support vector machine with optimized features was selected as the final model based on performance and stability, achieving an accuracy of 87.8% and an AUC of 0.95. To improve model transparency, SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) was applied, highlighting key predictors such as blink rate and heart rate, and uncovering synergistic effects between visual and physiological variables. The model was further validated in a tunnel entrance scenario, where it identified increased workload associated with steeper longitudinal slopes. These findings emphasize the importance of multimodal data integration—particularly eye movements—for assessing mental workload. Future applications should prioritize feature diversity over algorithm complexity to enhance real-world implementation in workload monitoring systems.