Can increased automation transparency mitigate the effects of time pressure on automation use?

Abstract

A factor that can potentially negatively impact the accuracy of automated decision aid use, and increase perceived workload, is time pressure. Increased automation transparency can increase the accuracy of automation use. We examined the extent to which increased transparency can mitigate the negative effects of time pressure on the accuracy of automation use and perceived workload. Participants completed an uninhabited vehicle (UV) management task where they assigned the best UV to complete missions by either accepting or rejecting automated advice. Participants made a decision after either 25s (low time pressure) or 12s (high time pressure). The accuracy of automation use decreased, and perceived workload increased, when under higher time pressure. Higher transparency benefited the accuracy of automation use and increased perceived trust and usability. However, high transparency did not mitigate the negative impacts of high time pressure, indicating that increased time pressure can influence the processing of highly transparent information.