Abstract
Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) are being developed and installed in increasing numbers. Some of the most popular ADAS include blind spot monitoring and cruise control which are fitted in the majority of new vehicles sold in high-income countries. With more drivers having access to these technologies, it is imperative to develop policy and strategies to guarantee the safe uptake of ADAS. One key issue is that ADAS education has been primarily centred on the user manual which are not widely utilised. Moreover, it is unclear if user manuals are an adequate source of education in terms of content and readability. To address this research gap, a content analysis was used to assess the differences in ADAS-related content and readability among the manuals of the highest selling vehicles in Australia. The qualitative findings showed that there are seven themes in the user manuals: differences between driving with and without ADAS, familiarisation requirements, operational limits of the ADAS, potential ADAS errors, behaviour adaptation warnings, confusion warnings, and malfunction warnings. The quantitative analysis found that some of the manuals require several years of education above the recommended for a universal audience (>8 years) to be understood. Additionally, there is a notable number of text diversions and infographics which could make comprehension of the user manual difficult. This investigation shows that there is a lack of standardisation of ADAS user manuals (in both content and delivery of information) which requires regulatory oversight. Driver ADAS education needs to be prioritised by policymakers and practitioners as smart technology continues to increase across the transport system. It seems that current strategies based on user manuals are insufficient to achieve successful adoption and safe use of these technologies.
Highlights
A wide range of Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) have been developed and installed in vehicles within the past two decades
The present investigation reports on a content analysis of the ADAS-related information present in the user manuals of the highest selling cars in Australia in 2018
The information presented in the user manuals of vehicles with ADAS is safetycritical for driving
Summary
A content analysis was used to assess the differences in ADAS-related content and readability among the manuals of the highest selling vehicles in Australia. This process comprised two sections; the first of which was the search strategy used to locate vehicles that would be eligible for use in the study, and their corresponding user manuals. The search was designed to identify the most purchased vehicle models in Australia during 2018, as it was surmised that these vehicles would be equipped with more advanced driving systems. The vehicles examined were limited to those most purchased in Australia
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary 
Published Version (
Free)
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call