A new SWOV report reveals a knowledge gap between the scientific knowledge about human factors that play a role when a driver must regain control of an automated vehicle, and how these factors should be translated into applicable design guidelines.
Commissioned by the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management, SWOV investigated the safety of automated driving systems (ADSs) in vehicles, specifically looking at the transfer of control (TOC) from the vehicle to the driver, a crucial moment for road safety.
This project investigated which scientifically substantiated effective TOC solutions could be found in literature, and explored how the automotive industry views these solutions, as well as what human factors issues remain because existing solutions fall short. Overall, knowledge in science and industry on human factors related to TOC did not appear to be far apart. However, the study also revealed a lack of knowledge from an industry perspective about translating (well-known) human factors principles into applicable design guidelines. This requires more research that has sufficient external validity, both within the automotive industry and in an academic setting, in addition to the research conducted in driving simulators.
