The Effect of Whole-Body Haptic Feedback on Driver's Perception in Negotiating a Curve

TL;DR

This study investigates how whole-body haptic feedback influences drivers' perception and response during curve negotiation, highlighting its potential to enhance hazard awareness in autonomous driving scenarios.

Contribution

It provides novel insights into the impact of force feedback on driver risk perception and visual attention during curve negotiation in a high-fidelity simulator.

Findings

Longer pupil diameter with feedback indicating increased alertness.

Extended fixation time on curves when feedback is provided.

Whole-body feedback may serve as an effective hazard notification.

Abstract

It remains uncertain regarding the safety of driving in autonomous vehicles that, after a long, passive control and inattention to the driving situation, how the drivers will be effectively informed to take-over the control in emergency. In particular, the active role of vehicle force feedback on the driver's risk perception on curves has not been fully explored. To investigate it, the current paper examined the driver's cognitive and visual responses to the whole-body haptic feedback during curve negotiations. The effects of force feedback on drivers' responses on curves were investigated in a high-fidelity driving simulator while measuring EEG and visual gaze over ten participants. The preliminary analyses of the first two participants revealed that pupil diameter and fixation time on the curves were significantly longer when the driver received whole-body feedback, compared to none. The findings suggest that whole-body feedback can be used as an effective "advance notification" of hazards.