Driving Simulation Study Recommended Tailored Human–Machine Interface Design and User Education Are Critical for Safe Adoption of Automated Vehicles.
Small-Scale Simulation Study in California Analyzed Driver Performance, Posture, and Eye Movement Across Different Levels of Vehicle Automation in Car Rental and Ridesharing Services.
San Jose, California, United States
Insights for the Future of Car Rental and Ridesharing: Driving Behavior Across Different Levels of Automation
Summary Information
Automation in vehicles is classified from Level 0 (no automation) to Level 5 (no human input needed) and understanding how drivers interact and adjust to levels of automation is needed as the technology becomes more widespread. This small-scale driving simulation study recruited 12 participants in their twenties, with the goal of identifying behavioral differences at varying levels of automation and automation assistance styles. The experiment consisted of six driving trials. Participants had to maintain or change lanes in unexpected situations, and automated assistance features were activated early (“conservative”) or late (“risky”). Data on driving performance (speed and steering wheel angles), body posture, and eye movement were gathered and analyzed.
The study found that drivers maintained stable speed and steering at Levels 0 and 5, but there was a noticeable decrease in speed and an increase in steering variability at Level 3. Posture was tense at Level 0 and “posture preparation” for driving takeover actions occurred at Level 3. Active eye scanning and continuous control were maintained at Level 0, with notable shifts in attention at Levels 3 and 5.
From these findings, the study noted the following lessons learned regarding vehicle design and training:
- Implement driver interfaces and alarm systems with multimodal cues (i.e., visual, auditory, and haptic) to capture drivers’ attention and enhance response across all levels of automation.
- Enhance vehicle ergonomics to reduce physical demands during transitions between automation levels. This could include adaptive seating and steering mechanisms.
- Develop training programs to help drivers manage cognitive workload and conduct workshops to facilitate driver awareness and ease of use with transitions between different levels of automation.
