An Evaluation of Inclusive Dialogue-Based Interfaces for the Takeover of Control in Autonomous Cars

This paper presents an evaluation of dialogue-based interfaces, which mediate the driver to take back vehicle control from the autonomous mode of a car. Four concepts designed to increase driver Situation Awareness were evaluated in a driving simulator. They used dialogue-based interaction, where driving-related information was either asked from or repeated by the driver, with the alternative of a countdown timer interface with no additional information. An inclusive set of participants, with a wide age spectrum, tested the interfaces with their performance and views recorded. The shorter and simpler interaction of the countdown timer was most accepted. The interface seeking answers to driving-related questions came next, and the interface requiring repetition of driving-related information, even when augmented by visual and tactile cues, was least accepted. Design guidelines on utilizing dialogue as an effective means of keeping the driver in the loop when taking control from an autonomous vehicle were thus derived.