A novel study on subjective driver readiness in terms of non-driving related tasks and take-over performance

Abstract This study investigates the influence of Non-Driving Related Tasks (NDRTs) on subjective driver readiness and take-over performance in level 3 automated driving system, and the effect of the readiness on driver’s take-over performance. A driving simulator was used to measure driver readiness and take-over performance in the system-initiated transition situation while the driver performed different NDRTs. The results on driver readiness demonstrate that NDRT has a significant effect and the readiness influences take-over performance; driver readiness has a negative correlation with take-over time, on the contrary, a positive correlation with vehicle control quality. NDRT influenced subjective driver readiness resulting in the participants’ take-over performance. We proposed a model for driver readiness and explained subjective driver readiness change at each transition phase using the analyzed data from the simulation study.