Attentional Demand as a Function of Contextual Factors in Different Traffic Scenarios

Objective To assess the attentional demand of different contextual factors in driving. Background The attentional demand on the driver varies with the situation. One approach for estimating the attentional demand, via spare capacity, is to use visual occlusion. Method Using a 3 × 5 within-subjects design, 33 participants drove in a fixed-base simulator in three scenarios (i.e., urban, rural, and motorway), combined with five fixed occlusion durations (1.0, 1.4, 1.8, 2.2, and 2.6 s). By pressing a microswitch on a finger, the driver initiated each occlusion, which lasted for the same predetermined duration within each trial. Drivers were instructed to occlude their vision as often as possible while still driving safely. Results Stepwise logistic regression per scenario indicated that the occlusion predictors varied with scenario. In the urban environment, infrastructure-related variables had the biggest influence, whereas the distance to oncoming traffic played a major role on the rural road. On the motorway, occlusion duration and time since the last occlusion were the main determinants. Conclusion Spare capacity is dependent on the scenario, selected speed, and individual factors. This is important for developing workload managers, infrastructural design, and aspects related to transfer of control in automated driving. Application Better knowledge of the determinants of spare capacity in the road environment can help improve workload managers, thereby contributing to more efficient and safer interaction with additional tasks.