Performance Assessment Requirements for Future Cockpit Systems

Advanced cockpit technologies which may drive automation requirements in the future are described, and future performance assessment metrics for such systems are explored. Two major changes in assessment methodology are discussed. The first involves a radical alteration in the direction of information flow — from the human to the system — and the second involves an increase in the need to measure complex hypothetical constructs such as situation awareness, workload, and pilot intent rather than measuring simple behavioral, subjective, or physiological states. Since traditional metrics will prove inadequate for assessing complex systems of the future, combinatorial approaches will assume greater importance, and some requirements and suggested approaches for such integrated measures are presented.