Integration of a Manoeuvring Negotiations Module in Driving Support Systems: A Simulator Study

Drivers, when uncertain about others' intent, tend to communicate their own and anticipate others' intent through deliberate communicative acts. Although such communicative interactions among drivers are a crucial component of driving activity they are still not considered in the design of driving support and automation systems. A driving simulator study was conducted, in order to study the effects of integrating a manoeuvring negotiations module, simulating communicative interactions, in three driving support systems. Results from 20 experienced drivers show that participants initiated their manoeuvre sooner, felt more certain and were more in favour when the system provided them with the explicit “consent” of the other involved “driver” than when receiving just a warning according to estimated time to collision. Thus, there are possible benefits from the inclusion of a manoeuvring negotiation module in driving support and automation systems, and further studies should focus on adequately designing “socially interacting” systems.