FMCSA to Study How Truckers Work With Automated Driving Tech
The FMCSA is currently gathering information on how quickly and effectively truck drivers will respond when asked to take over for an Automated Driving System (ADS).
The FMCSA is planning to use a driving simulator for the purpose of conducting a study of 100 CMV drivers according to a notice that is to be published in the Federal Register on September 21. Their intent is to “examine the effect of non-driving secondary task engagement, transfer of control, and training on driver behavior in Automated Driving System (ADS)-equipped CMVs.”
The FMCSA’s goal is to gather more information on trucks equipped with ADS to better understand driver behavior and any potential policy implications.
Truckers May Be Over Reliant
An “environment that is ripe for over-reliance” is how the FMCSA described truckers that are behind the wheel of vehicles with lower-levels of driving automation (including L2, which is partial automation or L3, which is conditional automation).
From the Federal Register Notice
“An L2 vehicle offers longitudinal and lateral support to the driver who is still responsible for driving at all times. At this level, engaging in tasks can be to driving performance as the driver may not recognize and respond to or appropriately. In an L3 vehicle, the role of distraction is blurred. The driver takes on a more supervisory role and is in full control of the vehicle in a number of situations. When an L3 vehicle alerts the driver that a takeover is required, the driver needs to have to resume full control of the vehicle. Engagement in non-driving secondary tasks may prevent the driver from maintaining situational awareness of the driving environment.“
FMCSA Wants More Information
Through the study, the FMCSA hopes to:
- Determine the effect of distraction on CMV drivers of L2 vehicles
- Determine the effect of transfer of control on CMV drivers in L3 vehicles
- Develop and evaluate a training program that is designed to decrease the levels of distraction that were identified in CMV drivers in L2 vehicles and designed to improve the problems with the transfer of control that were identified in L3
The agency will be accepting public comments on the study. You can submit a public comment online when the notice is officially published on September 21, 2022.
Featured image via: Getty Images
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