Young drivers’ takeover time in a conditional automated vehicle: The effects of hand-held mobile phone use and future intentions to use automated vehicles

Abstract

Abstract This research aimed to assess the extent to which using a hand-held mobile phone affected young drivers’ (aged 17–25\xa0years) takeback control of a simulated conditional automated vehicle (AV), relative to an auditory working memory n-back task and monitoring the road environment (control condition). In addition to takeback control, this study also applied the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) to assess if there were any differences in future intentions to use AVs after participants had experienced the automated functions of the vehicle compared to pre-drive (baseline). Trust was also measured pre-and post-drive. These additional constructs were included to further assess if the predictors of intentions to use AVs changed after participants had experienced a simulator drive which involve non-driving related tasks (NDRT). Thirty-three young Australian drivers (Mage\xa0=\xa020.97\xa0years, 17 females) took part in the one-hour within groups study which comprised pre-and post-drive self-report questionnaires and operating the CARRS-Q advanced driving simulator. In contrast to previous research on NDRT and takeback control (see Zhang et al., 2019), the results revealed that there were no significant differences in takeback control of the vehicle when drivers were using their hand-held mobile phone compared to completing the working memory n-back task or monitoring the road environment. However, a hierarchical regression revealed that participants reported significantly higher ratings that important others would approve of them using a conditional AV and greater control over whether or not they would intend to use an AV in the future post-drive compared to pre-drive, providing partial support for hypothesis 2. Overall, these findings suggest that using a hand-held mobile phone does not negatively influence young drivers’ takeback control of an AV. Further, the study highlights the influence that important others may have in determining whether young drivers intend to use AVs in the future.