Manual drivers’ experience and driving behavior in repeated interactions with automated Level 3 vehicles in mixed traffic on the highway

In the near future, conditionally automated vehicles (CAVs; SAE Level 3) will travel alongside manual drivers (≤ SAE level 2) in mixed traffic on the highway. It is yet unclear how manual drivers will react to these vehicles beyond first contact when they interact repeatedly with multiple CAVs on longer highway sections or even during entire highway trips. In a driving simulator study, we investigated the subjective experience and behavioral reactions of N = 51 manual drivers aged 22 to 74 years (M = 41.5 years, SD = 18.1, 22 female) to driving in mixed traffic in repeated interactions with first-generation Level 3 vehicles on four highway sections (each 35 km long), each of which included three typical speed limits (80 km/h, 100 km/h, 130 km/h) on German highways. Moreover, the highway sections differed regarding the penetration rate of CAVs in mixed traffic (within-subjects factor; 0%, 25%, 50%, 75%). The drivers were assigned to one of three experimental groups, in which the CAVs differed regarding their external marking, (1) status eHMI, (2) no eHMI, and (3) a control group without information about the mixed traffic. After each highway section, drivers rated perceived safety, comfort, and perceived efficiency. Drivers were also asked to estimate the penetration rate of CAVs on the previous highway section. In addition, we analyzed drivers’ average speed and their minimum time headways to lead vehicles for each speed zone (80 km/h, 100 km/h, 130 km/h) as well as the percentage of safety critical interactions with lead vehicles (< 1 s time headway). Results showed that manual drivers experienced driving in mixed traffic, on average, as more uncomfortable, less safe and less efficient than driving in manual traffic, but not as dangerous. A status eHMI helps manual drivers identify CAVs in mixed traffic, but the eHMI had no effect on manual drivers’ subjective ratings or driving behavior. Starting at a level of 25% Level 3 vehicles in mixed traffic, participants' average speed decreased significantly. At the same time, the percentage of safety critical interactions with lead vehicles increased with an increasing penetration rate of CAVs. Accordingly, additional measures may be necessary in order to at least keep the existing safety level of driving on the highway.     

Impact of the driver’s visual engagement on situation awareness and takeover quality

During automated driving (SAE Level 3), drivers can delegate control of the vehicle and monitoring of the road to an automated system. They may then devote themselves to tasks other than driving and gradually lose situational awareness (SA). This could result in difficulty in regaining control of the vehicle when the automated system requires it. In this simulator study, the level of SA was manipulated through the time spent performing a non-driving task (NDRT), which alternated with phases where the driver could monitor the driving scene, prior to a critical takeover request (TOR). The SA at the time of TOR, the visual behaviour after TOR, and the takeover quality were analysed. The results showed that monitoring the road just before the TOR allowed the development of limited perception of the driving situation, which only partially compensated for the lack of a consolidated mental model of the situation. The quality of the recovery, assessed through the number of collisions, was consistent with the level of development of SA. The analysis of visual behaviour showed that engagement in the non-driving task at the time of TOR induced a form of perseverance in consulting the interface where the task was displayed, to the detriment of checking the mirrors. These results underline the importance of helping the driver to restore good SA well in advance of a TOR.     

Can we adapt to highly automated vehicles as passengers? The mediating effect of trust and situational awareness on role adaption moderated by automated driving style

The emergence of highly automated driving technology provides safe and convenient travel while also causing user inadaptation. Therefore, based on human factors engineering, it is necessary to study highly automated vehicles (HAVs) that meet different user needs. Thus, this study aims to investigate the relationships between state anxiety, situational awareness, trust, and role adaptation. The adaptation model is constructed to conduct a study on the adaptation of HAVs with different automated styles when user roles change from driver to passenger. Simulated riding was conducted in the HAV experiment (N = 117), collecting scale data after each participant had experienced each automated driving style. A structural equation modeling approach was applied to analyze the adaptation model based on scale data. The results showed that there was a significant correlation between state anxiety, situational awareness, trust, and role adaptation. State anxiety has a significant negative predictive effect on trust, situational awareness, and role adaptation. In addition to its direct impact on role adaptation, state anxiety also has an indirect effect on role adaptation through situational awareness and trust. Furthermore, the automated driving style has been confirmed to have a moderating role in the relationship between the direct and indirect effects of state anxiety and role adaptation. Our findings contribute to multiple streams of the literature and have important implications for designing personalized automated driving to improve user acceptance.     

Hybrid sales structures in the age of e-commerce

Sales organizations continue to exhibit meaningful changes in their structures during the e-commerce era. This article examines the impact of Internet technology on the evolution of sales organizations and identifies key components underpinning a successful hybrid sales structure. A comprehensive review of sales organization studies leads to the derivation of a hybrid sales structure model, as well as a series of key recommendations pertaining to the organization and sales performance. These findings establish a platform for further research into the hybrid sales structure. The transition from a reliance on traditional, outside sales forces to a concomitant use of inside sales personnel produces hybrid sales structures that can accommodate online buyer–seller interactions and also leverage technological advances in sales automation and business intelligence to boost sales performance.     

Occupational Therapy in the Rehabilitation of the Patient with Anorexia Nervosa

The first part of this paper develops an ecological and rehabilitative stance for the occupational therapist in relation to the anorexic patient. Maximizing the individual's level of psychosocial functioning is regarded as the primary aim of treatment. A model for approaching the anorexic patient is described which examines environmental factors, and the importance of assessment and follow up. The cognitive behavioral approach is discussed and suggestions are made for adapting it to the occupational therapist's orientation towards practical activity. In the second part of the paper concrete suggestions for therapy are made.     

驾驶中移动电话的使用：基于自我调整行为的研究视角

因使用移动电话而导致的“驾驶分心”已成为一种严重的道路安全隐患。驾驶者总体上能意识到其危害, 但在驾驶中使用移动电话的现象很普遍。以往研究不能全面地对这一矛盾予以解释, 长期以来更是忽略了对“驾驶分心中自我调整行为”进行研究, 而这一问题能够直接解释驾驶中的移动电话使用行为。从以下三个方面可以对与驾驶分心中自我调整行为有关的研究进行分析和综述：(1)驾驶中移动电话使用行为的一般规律(类型、频率和危险感知等), 驾驶者对移动电话使用行为的理解是诱发自我调整行为的基础; (2)驾驶情境下移动电话使用中可能触发的自我调整行为, 该部分将主要分析自我调整行为的类型及相关属性; (3)如何对移动电话使用行为和自我调整行为进行预测。总体上, 基于对补偿式安全信念进行理解和度量、并以此为切入点对驾驶中移动电话使用及与其有关的自我调整行为展开研究, 这将有助于更好地理解驾驶分心行为。     

Factors influencing the decision to engage in alcohol-impaired driving among Arab-Israeli youths

Alcohol-Impaired Driving (AID) is rarely studied among Arab communities. As contacts between Arab and Western cultures grow, alcohol consumption and safety-related issues are emerging as a major public health concern. This paper examines factors influencing the decision to engage in AID in a sample of young Arab-Israeli bar patrons (n = 300, age 17–34), including both Muslims (n = 77) and Christians (n = 176); alcohol is prohibited for the former, but is normative for the latter. Studies of AID often use agent-oriented models, most notably the theory of planned behavior (TPB). The current study complements this tradition using the structure-oriented Social-Cultural (SC) model. Over 70% of participants reported engaging in AID after consuming 3–4 portions of alcohol. The TPB model proved to have significant explanatory power while most cultural factors, including religion, failed to gain statistical significance. The latter finding is counter-intuitive given the different status of alcohol in the cultures investigated. The TPB variable Personal Behavioral Control (PBC) and a specific sub-component of the subjective norms variable emerged as providing the greatest contribution to the model. The results support the robustness of TPB and demonstrate that beyond identifying idiosyncratic patterns structure-based models can be useful in refuting pre-conceived conceptions. Thus, both approaches should be utilized to inform policymaking. Governmental authorities, particularly in Israel, must consider the neglected issue of AID among Arab communities, including both Christians and Muslims.     

Profile of urban vs rural drivers detected drink driving via Roadside Breath Testing (RBT) in Queensland,Australia, between 2000 and 2011

ProblemIn Australia, as in many other countries, a disproportionate number of drink driving crashes occur on rural roads.Aims and methodThe study used Queensland Police Random Breath Testing (RBT) data from 2000–2011 to (a) comparing drink driving rates and RBT efficacy in areas of increasing remoteness (b) compare drink driver factors and the circumstances of apprehensions in rural and urban areas.ResultsGenerally, rural areas had a higher detection rate per RBT intercepts and a greater number of apprehensions per licensed drivers than the state average. Main effects showed that rural drivers were more likely to be male and to be a reoffender but less likely to be apprehended between midnight and 5.59 am and after visiting a licensed venue. Urban drivers were more likely to be aged 17–49 years and to be apprehended with a BAC < 0.15%.ConclusionDifferences in RBT effectiveness and drink driving factors and circumstances exist between rural and urban areas.Practical applicationThe greater number of drink drivers in rural areas signal a need for targeted interventions in these areas. To increase the effectiveness of such interventions, further research should examine the mechanisms responsible for these observed differences between rural and urban drink driver.     

Canadian and Spanish youths' risk perceptions of drinking and driving, and riding with a drunk driver

The present research compared Canadian and Spanish youths' perceptions of the potential benefits and drawbacks of driving under the influence of alcohol (DUI) and riding with a drunk driver (RDD). Eighty (41 female) Canadian and 87 (71 female) Spanish undergraduates completed a survey asking about their past and forecasted engagement in DUI and RDD, and their perceptions of the benefits and drawbacks of DUI and RDD. A sizeable proportion of both samples reported DUI and RDD in the past year. Past risk takers forecasted significantly greater chances of engaging in these behaviors in the following year compared to those who had not engaged in DUI and RDD. Both samples provided significantly more drawbacks than benefits of DUI and RDD. Whereas the benefits of both behaviors tended to refer to personal effects (e.g., save money, arrive faster) that occurred before, during, or after driving, the drawbacks referred to a range of outcomes (e.g., accident, kill/injure, penal sanction) that mostly occurred during driving. Although Canada and Spain differ in important respects (e.g., potential penalty for DUI), there were similarities in the two samples' perceptions of DUI and RDD. Young people are aware of the costs of these risky behaviors but nevertheless engage in them. These findings can inform theories of the co-occurrence of risky driving behaviors, and the development of prevention programs that focus on perceived outcomes.     

汽车驾驶行为的眼动研究

对汽车驾驶行为的眼动研究具有重要的理论和实践意义。本文重点介绍了不同路况下的驾驶行为及影响其行为的心理和生理因素的眼动研究．分析了用眼动分析方法研究交通心理学的特点．并对了该领域今后的发展趋势进行了展望。