Situation Awareness Levels to Evaluate the Usability of Augmented Feedback to Support Driving in an Unfamiliar Traffic Regulation

Abstract

Driving in an unfamiliar traffic regulation using an unfamiliar vehicle configuration contributes to increase number of traffic accidents. In these circumstances, a driver needs to have what is referred to as ‘situation awareness’ (SA). SA is divided into (level 1) perception of environmental cues, (level 2) comprehension of the perceived cues in relation to the current situation and (level 3) projection of the status of the situation in the near future. On the other hand, augmented feedback (AF) is used to enhance the performance of a certain task. In Driving, AF can be provided to drivers via in-vehicle information systems. In this paper, we hypothesize that considering the SA levels when designing AF can reduce the driving errors and thus enhance road safety. To evaluate this hypothesis, we conducted a quantitative study to test the usability of a certain set of feedback and an empirical study using a driving simulator to test the effectiveness of that feedback in terms of improving driving performance, particularly at roundabouts and intersections in an unfamiliar traffic system. The results of the first study enhanced the ability of the in-vehicle information system to provide feedback considering SA levels. This information was incorporated into a driving simulator and provided to drivers. The results of the second study revealed that considering SA levels when designing augmented feedback significantly reduces the driving errors at roundabouts and intersections in an unfamiliar traffic regulation. Keywords—Situation awareness; unfamiliar traffic regulation; augmented feedback; in-vehicle information systems