Shift the gaze

Supporting appropriate gaze and braking behavior during maneuver confirmation

Abstract

There are calls requiring drivers to confirm Level 2 (L2) automated maneuvers, such as entering a roundabout, to keep drivers actively engaged. We tested two strategies to support safe and user-friendly maneuver confirmation. First, we tested whether, at maneuver initiation, L2 drivers shift their gaze towards the planned trajectory after checking crossing traffic. This behavior has so far only been studied in manual driving and could potentially be used as an intuitive confirmation signal for L2 maneuvers. Second, to enable drivers to intervene with low effort when an attention‑based system initiates a maneuver inappropriately, we tested whether allowing drivers to brake without deactivating the L2 system, in contrast to conventional systems where braking disengages automation, improves anticipatory braking behavior. We conducted a driving simulator study with 124 participants to test both strategies. Eye movements were recorded for a subset of 54 participants. The findings show that participants significantly shifted their gaze towards the trajectory when they intended to continue, and away from it towards potential hazards when they did not intend to continue while the system attempted to proceed. Additionally, we found that an attention‑based system especially benefits from allowing drivers to brake without deactivating the L2 system, as reflected in more frequent braking interventions in potentially hazardous situations. All participants responded in case of a system failure. These strategies help ensure that drivers attend to situationally relevant areas and can easily intervene if necessary, thereby potentially supporting safe usage and promoting seamless user-centered interactions.