Type-o-Steer: Reimagining the Steering Wheel for Productive Non-Driving Related Tasks in Conditionally Automated Vehicles

Drivers' ability to engage in non-driving related tasks (NDRTs) is a promise of automated driving and office work an important use-case therein. We claim that potentially negative effects on road safety need to be compensated by adaptive in-vehicle interfaces that support NDRTs by design. In this paper, we present the conception and evaluation of a novel dual-task interface that is based on findings from both automotive research and office ergonomics. The steering wheel prototype aims at enabling productivity while retaining or even improving safety in Take-Over situations. In a driving simulator study with N=22 participants, we tested the prototype in two variations, haptic vs. touchscreen keyboard design, against the baseline “notebook on the lap”. Results show significant improvements regarding gaze reaction, typing performance, and subjective ratings of the haptic as compared to the touch keyboard. Most promisingly, Take-Over reaction time decreased by 40 percent when using the haptic prototype instead of the conventional notebook. Based on our findings, we recommend the use of adaptive input devices to assist the driver and prevent mode confusion. We further suggest avoiding the use of tablets in L3 driving - even when integrated into the steering wheel - in order to meet safety requirements.