HEDGEHOG: A Steering Wheel Prototype to Continuously Enhance Driver's Situation Awareness During Conditional Vehicle Automation

Abstract

In the Automated Driving Systems domain, conditional automation requires the driver to be ready to resume vehicle control if a Take-Over Request is triggered. Keeping a constant alert cognitive state, however, is one of the biggest challenges for drivers, susceptible to Non-Driving Related Tasks during autonomous driving modes. Although the communication between the vehicle and its operator can mitigate the risks (e.g., auditory warning signals), there is no consensus on what type of modality delivers the safest option. In that context, we present the HEDGEHOG, a steering wheel that uses force haptic signals to continuously deliver stimuli to the driver's hands. Based on existing risk assessment frameworks used to evaluate Autonomous Vehicles, this demonstration proposes the use of this device to increase the driver's Situation Awareness during the transition of control from automated to manual vehicle control.