Evaluation of a 3M (mistakes, mentoring, and mastery) training program for transfer of control situations in a level 2 automated driving system.

Drivers must actively supervise automation as it can only function in limited conditions. A failure to supervise the system has negative consequences in terms of missed requests to take over control and may cause crashes or jeopardize safety. The objective of this study is to determine the effect of a novel, 3M (Mistakes, Mentoring, and Mastery) training program on drivers' behavior while using level 2 driving automation systems. To achieve this, 36 participants were assigned randomly to three different training programs (3M training, User manual, and Placebo) and drove through scenarios on a fixed-based driving simulator. The results showed that drivers in the 3M training group took back control more effectively when the driving automation system reached its limits compared to drivers who received User manual or Placebo training. Drivers in the 3M training Group also had higher situation awareness and improved trust in automation. The results indicate that an interactive approach to training with regards to vehicle automation can help drivers more safely interact with automation systems.

Impact of L2 automated systems on hazard anticipation and mitigation behavior of young drivers with varying levels of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder symptomatology.

Level 2 (L2) driving automation systems that maintain latitudinal and longitudinal control of the vehicle decrease mental workload and result in drivers failing to monitor and respond to potential roadway hazards. This issue is potentially important for young drivers with symptoms of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) since they have known difficulties anticipating and mitigating potential hazards on the road, a skill which requires attention. The objective of this study is to investigate how the use of partially automated (L2) systems and manual systems impacts hazard anticipation and mitigation among young drivers with varying levels of ADHD symptomatology. Sixty-eight drivers, classified into two groups - high and low ADHD symptomatology-navigated twice through three scenarios on a driving simulator, once with an L2 and once with a manual system. The results indicated that: (i) the hazard anticipation skills of drivers with both high and low ADHD symptomatology were depressed in the L2 condition relative to the manual condition; (ii) the hazard mitigations skills of drivers with both high and low ADHD symptomatology were depressed in the L2 condition relative to the manual condition on two measures, but improved on a third measure; and (iii) the hazard anticipation and mitigation skills of drivers with high and low ADHD symptomatology were differentially impacted, both within and across the two levels of automation. Taken together, the results indicate the pernicious and often hard to predict consequences of higher levels of automation for different populations of younger drivers.