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Automation Malfunction: Behavioral Characteristics of Different User Groups under Forced Transfer of Control*

This study presents a driving simulator experiment conducted on 47 drivers to investigate how different populations of users respond to automated system failure. On this account, a major takeover scenario of a level 3 automated vehicle malfunctioning at three high-speed critical curves along a freeway was designed. The drivers are notified with an auditory warning that is triggered instantaneously with the malfunctions, thus indicating a demand to takeover. The reaction time, time to regain control, frequency of time to regain control, frequency of unsafe curves, and type of control were used as measures of users’ behavior. The results show that conservative users may be able to learn how to take control of the car safely compared to aggressive users as they experience more malfunctions. However, there is enough evidence that such group of users are more likely to drop their level of trust in automation if they experience unsafe maneuvers or lose control. These findings are promising as they can help auto-makers better design autonomous vehicles and officials better establish educational programs, which can accommodate different groups of users.