Vehicle automation and driving performance

Abstract

Vehicle automation is highly likely to be in service by the end of this century. While there are undoubtedly some benefits associated with such systems, there are some concerns also. This paper presents a review of studies addressing adaptive cruise control and active steering systems. These studies suggest that there may be some cause for concern. They show a reduction in mental workload, within a secondary task paradigm, associated with some forms of automation and some problems with reclaiming control of the vehicle in failure scenarios. It is suggested that more research and development effort needs to be spent on looking at vehicle automation and driving performance.