Partially automated (Level 2) systems have design factors that can influence driver behavior, such as shared steering control (i.e., cooperative steering). A fundamental characteristic of cooperative steering is that the lane-centering support remains on while the driver steers within the lane. At the time this online study of 1,260 vehicle owners was conducted, Ford and Nissan systems had a cooperative design philosophy, whereas Tesla and General Motors systems did not. We found that automaker design intent does not always translate into consumer understanding because most owners thought their systems were cooperative. Likewise, hands-free capability and hands-on requirements were not universally understood. We also found that cooperability seems to have a situation-specific influence. Cooperative steering therefore seems to be not only a relatively intuitive design philosophy, but it also may help to promote driver engagement.
By engineers, for engineers: A technically grounded guide to the rapidly evolving in-cabin technology industry and companies.
