PhD Piece: How automation challenges our identity as drivers

Phd Piece: How automation challenges our identity as drivers
 

By Soon Jong Kim and Laszlo Sajtos

With the emergence of new technologies, transportation is also evolving, as evidenced by the development of self-driving cars and autonomous vehicles (AVs). Rather than exploring general trust in AVs irrespective of the level of automation, this research focused on two functions of automation in relation to driver willingness to delegate driving to the AV. In particular, building on the taxonomy proposed by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE), we focused on two primary automated functions of AVs, namely their capability to maneuver within a lane (i.e., longitudinal automation, including speed control and lane keeping) and across lanes (i.e., lateral automation, including lane changes, overtaking and turning).

In our research, we conducted two online experiments with 250 active drivers in the U.S. To capture genuine reactions, we presented participants with driving simulation videos of the above two functions, with half the participants viewing a scenario with a human driving the car, and the other half when automation was the driver.

In general, our results showed that when automation was the driver (compared to a human) and it created a smooth driving experience where the participant felt in sync with the actions of the AV, this increased trust in the automation and the likelihood of delegating that task to the AV. Conversely, if the participant experienced discomfort or incongruence between how the AV handled a situation compared to how they would have reacted, this decreased their trust in the AV and willingness to delegate that particular task. The most interesting and paradoxical finding was that when participants felt the AV challenged their driving skills and identity as a driver –feelings more likely to be triggered by the more complex lateral task – they were more likely to trust the AV and also more inclined to relinquish control to it. This findings contradicts the commonly known threat-rigidity effect, whereby people revert to familiar routines in the face of a threat. In contrast, our findings show that individuals may place more trust in the AV, as a form of coping mechanism, when they feel the automation outperforms them and challenges their skills and role as a driver. The researchers are currently conducting research to replicate these findings with other populations and in other countries.

This research suggests that policymakers should craft guidelines that consider both the technical capabilities of AVs and the capabilities of everyday drivers in relation to specific automated functions. A vehicle that seamlessly integrates cutting-edge technology while also addressing the concerns and emotions of its users stands a better chance of gaining widespread acceptance.