Driver Vigilance Decrement is More Severe During Automated Driving than Manual Driving

Area of Science:

• Human-computer interaction
• Automotive engineering
• Cognitive psychology

Background:

• Driver vigilance is crucial for safety, especially in partially automated vehicles where monitoring for automation failures is required.
• Previous research suggested declining vigilance in automated driving but lacked a manual driving comparison.
• It remains unclear if vigilance decrements are specific to automated systems or a general effect of monitoring hazards.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare driver vigilance, workload, and stress between manual and partially automated driving.
• To investigate the impact of time on task on driver performance in different vehicle control modes.
• To determine if vigilance decrements in automated driving are unique to the automation or a general driving phenomenon.

Main Methods:

• A simulated 40-minute driving task was conducted.
• Participants were divided into two groups: manual control and partially automated driving.
• Driver performance, workload, and stress were measured throughout the simulation.

Main Results:

• Driver sensitivity to hazards decreased and false alarms increased over time specifically in the partially automated condition.
• Hazard detection declined in both manual and automated driving as the drive progressed.
• Workload and task-induced stress levels were similarly elevated in both driving conditions.

Conclusions:

• Partially automated driving uniquely impairs driver vigilance by diminishing the ability to distinguish between critical and non-critical events over time.
• Interventions should focus on enhancing driver sensitivity to hazards signaling potential automation failures.