What’s Happening
Semi-automated cars, despite their growing prevalence, have demonstrated real dangers when technology does not perform flawlessly and drivers fail to step in. To counter this, researchers from Rice University and Old Dominion University are studying the impact of simple verbal prompts on driver attention levels during semi-automated driving.
Why It Matters
This research study, titled “Boring but Demanding: Using Secondary Tasks to Counter the Driver Vigilance Decrement for Partially Automated Driving”, is set to be published in an upcoming edition of Human Factors: The Journal of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society. Jing Chen, assistant professor of psychological sciences at Rice University, is the senior author of the study. Chen’s focus has been on understanding how to enhance safety and reduce accidents in semi-automated driving.
Recent tragedies have exposed the limitations of automated driving technology, particularly in identifying dangerous situations, including objects on the road. Chen’s study underlines that human users often do not comprehend how easily automated systems can be deceived. She offers the example of craftily designed stickers on road signs that can be misinterpreted by computer vision as safety-critical, illustrating the need for human intervention to compensate for automated systems’ shortcomings.
Key Points
The study involved 117 Old Dominion students participating in a simulated, partially automated driving task. Over the course of the 45-minute task, drivers’ attention levels dropped. However, the introduction of eight simple questions posed randomly during the drive led to a significant increase in attention, as evidenced by quicker and more accurate responses to hazards.
Improved attention allows drivers to better detect potential hazards and determine when they need to override the automated driving system, thus potentially preventing accidents.
Bottom Line
The research indicates that basic verbal prompts can help maintain driver vigilance during semi-automated driving, which could be a crucial factor in preventing accidents. This study reinforces the notion that despite the advancements in automotive technology, human vigilance continues to be essential for safety. The lead author of this impactful research is Scott Mishler, a doctoral student at Old Dominion University.
