Effect of Adaptive and Fixed Shared Steering Control on Distracted Driver Behavior
URL: http://arxiv.org/abs/2106.03364v1
archive: archived pipeline: cataloged verified
Abstract
Driver distraction is a well-known cause for traffic collisions worldwide. Studies have indicated that shared steering control, which actively provides haptic guidance torque on the steering wheel, effectively improves the performance of distracted drivers. Recently, adaptive shared steering control based on the physiological status of the driver has been developed, although its effect on distracted driver behavior remains unclear. To this end, a high-fidelity driving simulator experiment was conducted involving 18 participants performing double lane changes. The experimental conditions comprised two driver states: attentive and distracted. Under each condition, evaluations were performed on three types of haptic guidance: none (manual), fixed authority, and adaptive authority based on feedback from the forearm surface electromyography of the driver. Evaluation results indicated that, for both attentive and distracted drivers, haptic guidance with adaptive authority yielded lower driver workload and reduced lane departure risk than manual driving and fixed authority. Moreover, there was a tendency for distracted drivers to reduce grip strength on the steering wheel to follow the haptic guidance with fixed authority, resulting in a relatively shorter double lane change duration.
Summary
High-fidelity moving-platform driving-simulator study of how adaptive vs. fixed shared steering control affects distracted-driver behavior. Eighteen participants (16 men, 2 women, ages 21-32) performed double lane changes under six conditions crossing two driver states (attentive vs. distracted via paced auditory serial addition task) with three haptic-guidance modes: manual, fixed authority, and adaptive authority based on real-time forearm sEMG (Myo armband) reflecting steering-wheel grip strength. For both attentive and distracted drivers, adaptive haptic guidance produced lower driver workload and reduced lane-departure risk than manual driving and fixed authority. Distracted drivers tended to reduce grip strength to follow fixed-authority guidance, yielding a relatively shorter lane-change duration.
Key finding
Adaptive shared steering control modulated by sEMG-derived grip strength reduced workload and lane-departure risk for distracted drivers more effectively than fixed-authority haptic guidance or manual driving.
Methodology
Within-subject 2x3 factorial driving-simulator experiment (driver state x haptic-guidance type) with order partially counterbalanced via a 6x6 Latin square. Distraction induced by paced auditory serial addition task. Steering-wheel torque scaled to normalized forearm sEMG.
Sample size: 18 (16 men, 2 women; mean age 23.5 years, SD 2.8; mean driving experience 2.7 years).
Quality score: 5 / 5