Real-World Evaluation of the Impact of Automated Driving System Technology on Driver Gaze Behavior, Reaction Time and Trust

TL;DR

This study evaluates how automated driving systems influence driver gaze, reaction times, and trust in real-world conditions, revealing that non-driving tasks and speed significantly affect driver responses to take-over requests.

Contribution

It provides the first real-world analysis of driver behavior with ADS, highlighting the effects of non-driving tasks and speed on reaction time, gaze, and trust.

Findings

Reaction time varies with non-driving tasks and speed.

Gaze behavior is influenced by the type of NDRT and vehicle speed.

Trust in automation is affected by the driving context.

Abstract

Recent developments in advanced driving assistance systems (ADAS) that rely on some level of autonomy have led the automobile industry and research community to investigate the impact they might have on driving performance. However, most of the research performed so far is based on simulated environments. In this study, we investigated the behavior of drivers in a vehicle with automated driving system (ADS) capabilities in a real-life driving scenario. We analyzed their response to a take over request (TOR) at two different driving speeds while being engaged in non-driving-related tasks (NDRT). Results from the performed experiments showed that driver reaction time to a TOR, gaze behavior and self-reported trust in automation were affected by the type of NDRT being concurrently performed and driver reaction time and gaze behavior additionally depended on the driving or vehicle speed at the time of TOR.