Getting the driver back into the loop: the quality of manual vehicle control following long and short non-critical transfer-of-control requests: TI:NS

Pampel, Sanna M.; Large, David R.; Burnett, Gary; Matthias, Rebecca; Thompson, Simon; Skrypchuk, Lee

Abstract

Specific vehicle automation use-cases such as traffic jams will be the first level 3 functions on the market. When the ‘traffic jam pilot’ nears its limits in non-critical situations, control needs to be handed back to the driver, enabling appropriate situation awareness (SA) and vehicle handling. According to previous research, operational vehicle stabilisation can be achieved within a transfer-of-control (TOC) of a few seconds in simple traffic environments, but tactical level decisions benefit from longer hand-over times. To date, the effects of non-critical TOCs have not been studied using set time frames. To investigate the impact of short (unplanned, 5 seconds) and long (planned, 50 seconds) TOC requests, while playing/not playing an engaging tablet game, a simulator experiment was conducted with 16 participants. Comparisons of the 60-second-period of manual driving following automation suggest better longitudinal vehicle control as well as more appropriate SA following the long TOC request, and automation periods without the game. However, following no engaging game, lateral performance was worse during the first 10 seconds of manual driving. Control-level visual search patterns did not change with TOC time or the game. Future research needs to consider support for drivers’ SA maintenance and readiness to drive following high automation.

Citation

Pampel, S. M., Large, D. R., Burnett, G., Matthias, R., Thompson, S., & Skrypchuk, L. (2019). Getting the driver back into the loop: the quality of manual vehicle control following long and short non-critical transfer-of-control requests: TI:NS. Theoretical Issues in Ergonomics Science, 20(3), 265-283. https://doi.org/10.1080/1463922X.2018.1463412

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Apr 6, 2018
• Online Publication Date: Jan 24, 2019
• Publication Date: Jan 24, 2019
• Deposit Date: Apr 20, 2018
• Publicly Available Date: Jan 25, 2020
• Journal: Theoretical Issues in Ergonomics Science
• Print ISSN: 1463-922X
• Electronic ISSN: 1463-922X
• Publisher: Taylor & Francis Open
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 20
• Issue: 3
• Pages: 265-283
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/1463922X.2018.1463412
• Keywords: automated driving; driving simulator; transfer of control; vehicle control; eye tracking; driver behaviour
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/924081
• Publisher URL: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/1463922X.2018.1463412
• Additional Information: This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in Theoretical Issues in Ergonomic Scienceon [date of publication], available online: http://www.tandfonline.com/10.1080/1463922X.2018.1463412