This paper presents formative research to inform the design of intelligent automotive user interfaces. It describes an evaluation of dialogue-based interfaces, mediating the driver to take back control from the autonomous mode of a car. Four concepts designed to increase driver Situation Awareness were evaluated in a driving simulator. They used dialoguebased interaction, where driving-related information was either asked from or repeated by the driver, with the alternative of a countdown-based interface with no additional information. An inclusive set of participants, with a wide age spectrum, tested the interfaces. The shorter and simpler interaction of the countdown timer was most accepted. The interface seeking answers to driving-related questions came next, and the interface requiring repetition of driving-related information, even when augmented by visual and tactile cues, was least accepted. Design guidelines on utilizing dialogue as a means of keeping the driver in the loop during a takeover were thus derived.

High levels of Situation Awareness (SA) have been shown to improve performance of an operator in a complex environment. This paper describes an experimental study looking at whether increases in awareness of a non-driving related activity can improve performance in an automotive multitasking condition. 50 participants drove a low-fidelity driving simulator whilst attempting to carry out a number of alternative activities using an in-vehicle interface. The findings demonstrate that increased awareness of the non-driving interface delivers improvements in both driving and non-driving activities. Differences in the driving scenario itself were unable create a difference in perceived workload and SA of the driving activity. Objective measures were sensitive enough to demonstrate effects due to differences in both non-driving task experience and driving scenario under multitasking conditions.

Despite a large literature on autonomous vehicles and a large number of relevant surveys examining public perception of self-driving vehicles, recent studies suggest that reported public perception is rapidly changing, volatile, and highly dependent on context and potential biases in reporting. In addition, some conclusions from very recent studies are supported: namely, that very little of the survey literature addresses key user centred design consideration that arise from inclusion of the wider population in the use of autonomous vehicles. We report initial studies that are intended to form part of a method currently under development that aims to bring together automotive design and Inclusive design; an analytical functional approach to design for user capability in the wider population. This paper describes the development stages of a user centred design capable methodology for sampling public opinion from a range of different qualitative studies. The finding are made available at two levels. Firstly, a general report on public perceptions’, examines key elements of sensitivity in responses to autonomous vehicle issues. Secondly, the methodology shows how to address in an unbiased way the specification and design a number of potential HMI concepts for managing takeover from car to driver in an autonomously capable vehicle in urban and highway usage cases.

Autonomous driving is a topic of extensive research; however user views on this new technology are largely unexplored, especially for an inclusive population. This paper presents a survey and two focus groups, investigating driving habits and attitudes towards autonomous cars of an inclusive group of UK drivers. A subset of survey participants were invited to attend one of two focus groups, to discuss handovers of control between car and driver. Maintaining safety, trust and control were themes commonly identified in both focus groups, while unique views and concerns, relating to different characteristics of the group were expressed. These results can inform an inclusive, user-centred design of autonomous vehicle interfaces, especially for the safety-critical use case of driver handovers of control.

This paper presents a methodology for designing automotive user interfaces using Situation Awareness (SA). The development of interfaces providing users with relevant, timely information is critical for optimal performance. This paper presents a variation on the original SA model allowing for a consideration of all situational factors in a modern motor car. “Dual Goal SA” provides environmental and cognitive considerations for developing interfaces used when multi-tasking. A pilot study was carried out to test the Dual Goal concept and identify appropriate measures. Subjective results proved inconclusive. Objective results showed good evidence supporting the hypothesis but most promising was a factor analysis involving all key objective measures. This produced factors that classified the experimental groups consistently with predictions, demonstrating evidence of variations in performance consistent with variations in SA for two competing goals.