The use of Advanced Driver Assistance Systems is designed to boost road safety, but they could also create safety issues if drivers are not properly trained in their capabilities. This is one of the finding of a new study by the University of Nottingham and the RAC Foundation which suggests that behavioural training for drivers is paramount for the transition into the next stage of automated vehicles, known as level 3 automation.

At level 3, automation capability extends to the monitoring task, allowing drivers to switch their attention towards non-driving related tasks, but they must remain responsible for the vehicle’s actions and must be ready to intervene in the event of a system failure or where the boundary of the automated system’s operational design has been reached.

The study placed two groups of experienced drivers in a driving simulator to observe their behaviour, especially concentrating on the transition from automated to normal driving. One group  received behavioural training, while the other was left to rely on the vehicle instruction manual.

The first group made more measured decisions in a lane change manoeuvre shortly after taking back manual control, were more generally aware of the driving environment and checked mirror more frequently. Significantly they were also more likely to notice a potential hazard during the transition from automated to manual driving (in this case, a tailgating car), with 90% of drivers noticing the car in trained group, compared to 24% of the operating manual group.

During a period of automated driving, participants in both groups could decide whether to engage in a non-driving task, such as looking at their phone, tablet, laptop or reading materials, or nothing at all. When notified by the vehicle to take back control and transition from automated driving, the group who were trained with only an operating manual took almost 10 times longer to pay full attention to driving, continuing glances at their non-driving task for an average of 11.2 seconds, compared with 1.8 seconds in the behavioural group.

The authors says that the research demonstrates that the complex and changing nature of the role of the driver in an increasingly automated car should not be underestimated. Emily Shaw, lead author and member of the University of Nottingham’s Human Factors Research Group commented, "It is clear that behavioural training has a positive effect on the driver’s behaviour and their understanding of the car’s capabilities. Our proven training procedure, ‘CHAT’, can be used to help drivers understand their shared role and responsibilities with automated vehicle technology, so that they develop the right state of mind for interacting with these vehicles.”

Dr David R Large, Senior Research Fellow with the Human Factors Research Group added, “This research clearly shows there is a lot of work to be done around preparing drivers for this next stage of automation. Without this, drivers are more likely to form inaccurate or inappropriate mental models of automation capability and competence, which can lead to misuse or incorrect use of driving automation.”