Alert! Automated Vehicle (AV) System Failure – Drivers’ Reactions to a Sudden, Total Automation Disengagement

Abstract

Despite the “driverless” term, drivers of automated vehicles still constitute an integral part of the human-machine team that will be driving the future. This study emphasized drivers by evaluating the attentiveness, stress levels, and reactions of 67 participants, ages 18–65+ years, during a sudden, total disengagement of automation in a driving simulator-based rural freeway setting. Attentiveness was characterized by a significant increase in gaze fixation and a significant decrease in fatigue, yet stress levels did not appear to significantly change. Regardless of age, gender, or level of non-driving related task involvement, participants reacted to the failure first by steering, requiring 12.30 s (50th percentile) to 29.26 s (90th percentile), followed by speed control after 18.26 s (50th percentile) to 40.86 s (90th percentile). These findings highlight the need for addressing the potentially dangerous implications of automation failure.