Assessing error recognition in automated driving

Technical progress in automated driving research is about to alter the way of driving from manual control towards supervision of automated control. Even if there is still a long way to go, it is worth exploring the ramifications an automated driving task implies. A shift of attention towards secondary activities in the car is acceptable as long as the automation is guaranteed not to fail. An interesting question appears when automation fails only in rare cases. In this study, the authors are exploring drivers' ability of error recognition in an automated driving scenario with a focus on simultaneously performing secondary tasks. The authors use a newly developed method for this, the autonomous lane change test. The authors find clear effects of secondary tasks on automation supervision, with tasks requiring strong engagement to be most noticeable.