Investigating Mode Errors on Automated Flight Decks: Illustrating the Problem-Driven, Cumulative, and Interdisciplinary Nature of Human Factors Research.

This paper provides a brief overview of research over the past twenty years on mode errors on modern flight decks. The author describes when and why the problem of mode errors surfaced, summarizes complementary research activities that helped identify and understand the contributing factors to mode errors, and describes some countermeasures that have been developed in recent years. Mode errors on modern flight decks were first reported in the late 1980s. The main contributors to these breakdowns in human-automation interaction have been identified as poor feedback, inadequate mental models of the automation, and the high degree of coupling and complexity of flight deck systems. Various improvements of design, training, and procedures were proposed to address these issues. This review illustrates how various disciplines and methodological approaches can contribute to a better understanding of, as well as provide better support for, effective human-automation coordination.