Distracted driver performance to multiple alerts in a multiple-conflict scenario

Area of Science:

• Human-Computer Interaction
• Automotive Safety
• Driver Behavior Analysis

Background:

• Secondary alerts from collision avoidance systems (CASs) may negatively impact driver performance during emergency maneuvers.
• Understanding driver responses to multiple alerts in complex scenarios is crucial for system design.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine if collision avoidance systems (CASs) should issue individual alerts for each conflict or a single alert for the first conflict in multi-conflict scenarios.
• To evaluate driver perception and response to multiple alerts in a simulated multi-conflict driving environment.

Main Methods:

• Fifty-one participants drove on a test track and were exposed to a simulated multi-conflict scenario involving a dropped box and an adjacent vehicle.
• Participants received a forward collision warning (FCW) alert, with a subset also receiving a lane-change merge (LCM) alert.
• Driver reaction times to swerve and avoid the lateral conflict were measured.

Main Results:

• Drivers receiving both FCW and LCM alerts demonstrated significantly faster steering responses (1.70 s) compared to those receiving only the FCW alert (2.76 s).
• Drivers found the LCM alert useful, easy to understand, and not startling, even when presented after the initial FCW alert.
• Participant feedback indicated a preference for receiving multiple alerts in complex scenarios.

Conclusions:

• Drivers familiar with CASs benefit from and find it appropriate to receive multiple alerts in multi-conflict situations.
• The study findings can inform the design of more effective CASs for connected and automated vehicles.
• Multi-alert strategies in CASs can enhance driver safety and situational awareness in complex driving environments.