Conflict Detection with Cockpit Display of Traffic Information: What is it, What has Been Found, and What Needs to be Done?

Abstract

A task analysis is conducted for conflict detection relying on traffic information depicted on a cockpit display of traffic information (CDTI). The task can be performed in a dichotomous way (i.e., the judgment of either a conflict or not). Or optimally the conflict risk can be estimated based on continuous measures. Three such measures are identified, namely, the distance at the closest passage (DCP), the orientation at the closest passage (OCP), and the time at the closest passage (TCP). A literature review examines the factors that influence performance on conflict detection. It is shown that there are limited numbers of studies that have addressed the issue of conflict detection with the CDTI. Finally, given the CDTFs vital role in the free flight environment, it is recommended that the conflict risk be defined by the continuous measures, that effects of various factors on conflict detection performance be examined, and that ways be sought to improve human performance with the aid of automation.