Driver Assistance after Handover of Control from Automation

Road Vehicle automation systems are likely to be reliable enough in the near future for drivers to disengage from the task of driving in certain road conditions, but will likely need to hand back control to the driver when approaching difficult conditions. In such cases, it might be valuable to assist the driver even after the handover of control, but that might cause mode confusion and over-reliance on the assistance system. Here, we describe a study that tests the effect of driver alert and support systems on driving performance and perceived allocation of responsibility for vehicle safety, after a handover of control from automated driving. Results show that steering support improves lane-keeping performance after a transition of control and does not significantly affect safety in a lane change event. The study data also suggests that drivers might mistake external forces on the steering wheel (such as those due to wind or road surface imperfections) for forces applied by an automated driving system.