Fatigue in the Automated Vehicle

Abstract

As vehicle operation becomes increasingly automated, driver fatigue appears to be an increasingly pressing safety issue. Trivia games have been suggested as a fatigue countermeasure, but, like cell phone use, games may be distracting. The present study investigated whether secondary media devices impacted subjective responses and driver performance, during fatiguing drives. A manipulation of full and partial vehicle automation was used to induce fatigue during simulated driving. Participants were also assigned to one of three media device conditions (control, cell phone or trivia). Subjective state response, vehicle control and reaction time to a sudden event were recorded. The media devices did help minimize the loss of task engagement and elevated distress produced by vehicle automation. We also extended findings that the media devices helped improve concurrent driver performance. However, media usage was not associated with faster response time to subsequent events, suggesting that such devices may not lastingly enhance alertness.