User

User evaluation addresses the interaction of people with the CCAM system: their opinions, expectations, and awareness of the technology, and how they use it.

Users can be drivers interacting directly with the CCAM system, for example when taking over control of the vehicle when the ODD conditions are no longer met. Users can be passengers interacting with a CCAM system, for example via an app or screen, or even by just sitting in the vehicle. Users may also be receivers or senders of goods being delivered by CCAM systems. User evaluation may also address “non-users”, namely people who are affected by CCAM but do not directly use it; for example, other road users (both motorised and non-motorised) and residents of an area where CCAM operates. User evaluation provides important input to many impact areas, such as people mobility and traffic safety. User evaluation results can also be used for further development of CCAM systems or for developing business cases and marketing.

The user evaluation chapter has the following scope:

• User behaviour with a CCAM system, for example take-over control situations (reaction time, take-over time, changes in driving behaviour like sudden deviation in speed or position in lane), use of time in the vehicle (non-driving-related activities), observation or measurements of interaction via interfaces and in-vehicle systems, and observation or measurements of the effects on behaviour of “non-users”.
• Experience, for example the user experience (pleasant, easy, useful, etc.) and the physical and mental state during the drive or ride (comfort, convenience, stress, motion sickness, feelings of safety and security, concerns about cybersecurity, data protection and privacy, etc.), trust in the system, suitability of the system for specific target groups (disability, age groups, etc.), and feelings and experiences of “non-users” confronted with CCAM.
• Expectations, for example, on willingness to use the CCAM system, concerns about societal impacts and consequences for users and non-users, usefulness for individuals in their envisaged future situations, or usefulness for specific groups.

The three components of the user evaluation have a rich and diverse theoretical background. Behaviour, experience, and expectations of users are studied in many disciplines like behavioural science, social science, economics, human factors, engineering, marketing, and so on. Each of them has their own focus, theories, and methods. User evaluation usually requires a multi-disciplinary specialist team. Some examples of factors of interest are given below.

• Behaviour with the system (take over control, non-driving-related activities in the car, gaze direction, engagement, etc.), which is observable and measurable once the vehicle is ‘ready’. Various psychological theories or models can be applied to explain and predict the behaviour, such as mental models, situation awareness, models of visual attention or multitasking.
• Subjective experience (comfort, ease of use, stress, etc.), which can be measured by subjective scales in questionnaires, interviews, and so on.
• Expectations toward the system (technology acceptance, willingness to use, etc.), which can be measured by subjective scales in questionnaires, interviews, focus groups, and so on.

Main components of the user evaluation area.