Control Task Substitution in Semiautomated Driving

Carsten, Oliver; Lai, Frank; Barnard, Yvonne; Jamson, A. Hamish; Merat, Natasha · 2012 · OpenAlex-citations

DOI: 10.1177/0018720812460246

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Summary

This study investigates how different levels and types of vehicle automation affect driver attention and engagement in secondary tasks. Specifically, it addresses whether automating longitudinal control (speed) versus lateral control (steering) yields different behavioral responses, a distinction often overlooked in existing literature that treats these controls as functionally equivalent. The research aims to determine if increasing automation leads to greater driver disengagement and willingness to perform non-driving activities, and whether the specific aspect of control automated influences this shift. The experiment was conducted using a high-fidelity, motion-based driving simulator at the University of Leeds. Forty-nine participants (25 in the longitudinal group, 24 in the lateral group) drove a simulated motorway route three times under increasing levels of automation: manual driving, semi-automated driving, and highly automated driving. The semi-automated condition was a between-subjects variable; one group received Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) for longitudinal support, while the other received a Lane Keeping System (LKS) for lateral support. In the final highly automated condition, both systems were active. Participants were free to engage in various secondary tasks, such as watching DVDs, reading, or grooming. The design was not counterbalanced to specifically examine learning and carry-over effects as automation increased. Results indicated that engagement in non-driving secondary tasks increased progressively from manual to semi-automated driving, and increased further under highly automated conditions. Crucially, substantial differences were observed between the two semi-automated conditions regarding driver attention to the road and traffic. Although longitudinal and lateral support represent similar levels of automation, drivers regarded them differently, suggesting that the specific control substituted significantly impacts driver behavior and attentional allocation. The findings imply that current task analyses and automation typologies are insufficient for explaining driver responses to semi-automated systems. The study concludes that lateral and longitudinal support, while technically comparable in automation level, are perceived and handled differently by drivers. This distinction is significant for system design and safety, as it suggests that the specific nature of automated assistance influences driver confidence, reliance, and the likelihood of disengagement from the driving task.

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Topics

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• automation
• manual
• situational awareness
• automation complacency bias
• automation surprise
• mode awareness

Information type

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• Empirical Findings: behavioral performance data
• Theoretical Contribution: conceptual framework, theory or model