Motor learning affects car-to-driver handover in automated vehicles

Area of Science:

• Human-Computer Interaction
• Automotive Engineering
• Motor Control

Background:

• Future vehicles will transition between autonomous and manual driving modes.
• Humans must rapidly resume steering control after periods of disengagement.
• Understanding driver adaptation is crucial for safe human-machine interaction.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate human driver adaptation to changes in steering behavior during transitions from autonomous to manual control.
• To differentiate adaptation requirements for changes in steering ratio versus steering torque.

Main Methods:

• An in-car study was conducted with human drivers.
• Participants experienced changes in the hand wheel angle to road wheel angle ratio (emulating speed changes).
• Participants also experienced changes in steering torque.

Main Results:

• Drivers required a significant adaptation period to resume previous steering behavior after changes in steering ratio.
• Drivers did not require an adaptation period for changes in steering torque.
• Adaptation time varied based on the type of steering change encountered.

Conclusions:

• Steering ratio changes necessitate driver adaptation for safe manual control resumption.
• Steering torque changes do not appear to require a similar adaptation period.
• Findings inform the design of vehicle transition systems and human motor control models.