Authority and Level of Automation: Lessons to Be Learned in Design of In-vehicle Assistance Systems

摘要

Motor vehicles and drivers' relationship with them will change significantly in the next decades. Still, most driving tasks are likely to involve humans behind the wheel, emphasizing the design of in-vehicle assistance systems. A framework for distribution of control between human beings and technology is presented, as well as a model to be used in analysis, design, development, and deployment of decision support systems. The framework and the model are applied in a project aiming for design of in-vehicle systems for future long-haul vehicles. The empirical investigations conducted support the design-as-hypotheses approach. The search for improvements of design concepts and levels of automation leads to a shift away from abstract ideas of autonomous cars to empirical issues such as how to support the driver. The need to discuss authority in relation to levels of automation is recognized, emphasizing the fact that human-machine interaction takes place on two distinct levels.