Utilization of Drivetime – Performing Non-Driving Related Tasks While Driving Highly Automated

Abstract

To utilize drivetime by engaging in non-driving related (secondary) tasks while driving highly automated is very likely to occur as soon as Level 3 (see NHTSA, 2013) automated vehicles enter the market. For this reason, it has to be investigated in advance whether different tasks are impeding drivers’ capabilities of regaining control in take-over situations and thereby compromising safety. For this purpose, studies regarding take-over in highly automated vehicles were reviewed and an experiment in a high fidelity driving simulator involving 24 participants was conducted, comparing four different types of non-driving related tasks. Results show differences in the dependent variables, dependent on criticality and complexity of the situation. Compared to drivers with visual and motoric tasks, take-over performance of drivers with a cognitive task was superior in well-practiced and noncomplex situations. Although the take-over situations of this study were well practiced and complexity and time criticality of the take-over situations were rather low, drivers reacted faster in manual mode than under the presence of the automated system. Furthermore, the participants reported engaging in those tasks as being rather dangerous and impeding their take-over performance and capability of reaction.