Designing and Evaluating an Informative Interface for Transfer of Control in a Level 2 Automated Driving System

Although driving automation systems have made significant progress over recent years, human involvement is still vital, especially for Level 2 (L2) automated vehicles. This study aimed to design and evaluate an in-vehicle interface for vehicles with L2 features to help drivers understand critical situations that require intervention. This study was conducted in two phases. First, new dashboard prototypes were developed through four design iterations. Second, a between-design experimental study was conducted to test the dashboard designs’ efficiency. Forty-two participants were assigned to three dashboard groups (Advanced, Basic, Original) and drove through seven scenarios. Results showed that participants took back control significantly earlier (i.e., ∼2 seconds earlier) in Advanced and Basic Dashboard groups. The results indicated that providing take back control feedback helps drivers to be more aware while driving vehicles with L2 features and that additional feedback regarding road geometry can improve drivers’ take back control performance.