Advanced vehicle control systems : user comes first... concepts : methods and experiences with user needs analysis and user centred evaluation.

Several driver support systems are currently under development and testing before market introduction. In this context various levels of automation are conceivable. These levels generate different implications for the driver, the society and the manufacturers. In order to investigate the focus of users' requirements an experimental User Needs Analysis was designed and tested within the EC projects Anti-collision ASSIST (AC-ASSIST) and Urban Drive Control (UDC). This paper gives an overview of a general user needs model, exemplified with experiences of the AC-ASSIST project. Finally, an outlook on future concepts of system evaluation is presented.