Abstract "Automated vehicles (AVs) are heralded as the future of transportation. The Society of Automotive Engineers categorizes six levels of AV, with levels 1 and 2 already in operation, and level 3 undergoing mass production testing in North America. Level 3 marks a significant advancement, as drivers can engage in non-driving related tasks (NDRT), but must be prepared to take over control of the vehicle at all times. However, level 3 AVs pose significant cognitive and motor demands during take-over requests (TOR) in older drivers with intact cognition, suggesting that take-over maneuvers may be even more challenging for older adults with cognitive impairment (CI).
This study aims to determine the impact of CI on take-over performance in level 3 AVs. Participants (30 older drivers with intact cognition, and 30 older drivers with CI) will engage in level 3 AV driving using a high-fidelity driving simulator while their eyes are tracked for attention and cognitive workload. During the drive, the TOR will require participants to quickly transition from an NDRT to taking over control of the vehicle. Additionally, participants will complete a clinical battery of cognitive, visual, and motor tests.
We hypothesize that older adults with CI will exhibit: (1) slower response to TOR; (2) reduced attention (glances on screen) and increased drowsiness (eyelid closure) before TOR; and (3) heightened cognitive workload (pupillary response) during and after the TOR. In hypothesis (4), we expect that a combination of clinical tests including reaction time, processing speed, and working will predict take-over performance."
Description Automated vehicles (AVs) are heralded as the future of transportation. The Society of Automotive Engineers categorizes six levels of AV. Level 3 marks a significant advancement, as drivers can engage in non-driving related tasks (NDRT), but must be prepared to take over control of the vehicle at all times. However, level 3 AVs pose significant cognitive and motor demands during take-over requests (TOR) in older drivers with intact cognition, suggesting that take-over maneuvers may be even more challenging for older adults with cognitive impairment (CI). This study aims to determine the impact of CI on take-over performance in level 3 AVs. Participants (30 older drivers with intact cognition, and 30 older drivers with CI) will engage in level 3 AV driving using a high-fidelity driving simulator while their eyes are tracked for attention and cognitive workload. During the drive, the TOR will require participants to quickly transition from an NDRT to taking over control of the vehicle. We hypothesize that older adults with CI will exhibit: (1) slower response to TOR; (2) reduced attention and increased drowsiness before TOR; and (3) heightened cognitive workload during and after the TOR. We expect that a combination of clinical tests including reaction time, processing speed, and working will predict take-over performance.
Objective This proposal aligns with both Safety and Equity Strategic Goals of the US DOT.
Impacts/Benefits The outcomes of this study will provide valuable insights for human factors engineers, civil engineers, and healthcare professionals, highlighting the necessity for safe and equitable AVs to for older adults with CI. Several graduate students in the KU Medical Center will be trained and participate in the study.