Preparation Times: An Experimental-Based Discussion About Limits for Takeover in Highly Automated Systems

The effective takeover of ship control, particularly in complex navigation environments, is of critical importance to the safety and efficiency of shipping. In this context, extending a previous work in which human takeover times for the operation of automated vessels were determined for the first time, this article discusses further details of the problem based mainly on the differences between a simple takeover (as a reaction) and the discussed case of a cognitive-based takeover within a complex dynamic situation. The unsurprising but nevertheless astonishingly long takeover time for the considered example of an automated/assisted inland vessel has consequences in terms of a long preparation time to be considered for takeover situations to be successful. This means that situation-specific, complexity-oriented ship management is necessary to take into account the possible human preparation for the takeover. The contribution introduces into the topic, illustrates the problem based on experimental results and describes a possible strategy to define the required time as preparation time. The analysis is based on a simulator-based experimental study using inland vessels interacting in a highly interactive environment.