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Published on: August 8, 2019
Automation, task difficulty, and aircrew performance
C Bowers1, C Thornton, C Braun
1Department of Psychology, University of Central Florida, USA.
Summary
An autopilot reduced workload but did not improve team performance in a simulated flight. Problem-solving suffered under high workload with automation, suggesting coordination trade-offs in aviation systems.
Area of Science:
- Human-Computer Interaction
- Cognitive Psychology
- Aviation Psychology
Background:
- Automated systems are increasingly integrated into complex operational environments.
- Understanding the impact of automation on team dynamics and performance is crucial for system design and training.
- Previous research indicates mixed results regarding automation's effect on crew performance.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the effects of an autopilot system on team processes and performance in a simulated emergency-response scenario.
- To investigate how workload levels (low and high) interact with automation to influence crew behavior and outcomes.
- To explore the potential trade-offs between workload reduction and performance changes due to automation.
Main Methods:
- A laboratory simulation involving two-person crews performing a complex emergency-response flight task.
- Comparison of crew performance and processes with and without autopilot assistance under varying workload conditions.
- Analysis of subjective workload ratings, objective performance measures, and crew process data.
Main Results:
- The autopilot effectively reduced subjective workload across conditions.
- Overall performance improvement was limited, with gains observed in only one of four measures.
- Problem-solving performance significantly worsened in the autopilot condition during high-workload scenarios.
- Crew process data suggested that workload savings were potentially reallocated to increased explicit coordination.
Conclusions:
- While automation can alleviate workload, it does not guarantee performance enhancement and may even degrade specific critical functions like problem-solving under high demand.
- The findings highlight the importance of considering how automation influences team coordination and cognitive resource allocation.
- Implications for military aviation include the need for careful system design, targeted training, and a nuanced understanding of automation's role in crew performance.
