The introduction of decision support systems (DSSs) can help support aviation operators in high-risk domains. This study examined the effectiveness of 2 different DSS implementations: status and command displays. 27 pilots (9 ea in baseline, status, and command groups) flew 20 simulated approaches involving icing encounters. Accuracy of the decision aid (a smart icing system), familiarity with the icing condition, timing of icing onset, and autopilot usage were varied within subjects. Accurate information from either decision aid led to improved handling of the icing encounter. However, when inaccurate information was provided, performance dropped below that of the baseline condition. The cost of inaccurate information was particularly high for command displays and in the case of unfamiliar icing conditions. Findings suggest that unless perfect reliability of a decision aid can be assumed, status displays may be preferable to command displays in high-risk domains, as the former yield more robust performance benefits and appear less vulnerable to automation biases.
Abstract