UNIVERSITAS Position (Position closed)
| Title | Driver’s mental representation of ADAS functions and its influence on his/her behaviour |
| Deadline | September 15, 2009 |
| Expected start date | November 1, 2009 |
| Institution | UNIVERSITAS (www.isec.universitas.pt) |
| City, Country | Lisbon, Portugal |
| Job description | The candidate will develop a research project aiming at performing a PhD thesis. The topic of this research project is the study of an important aspect of behavioural adaptation to ADAS use: the driver’s mental representation of the systems functions. Topic and objectives Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) offer an important potential for improving safety and comfort in driving but the introduction of new artefacts in the vehicle means that new tasks will appear or the previous ones will change or even disappear. Actually, the direct intervention of an assistance system in the driving process (e.g. ACC) constitutes a fundamental change in the driving task. In an automated process, the machine replaces totally or partially the human to perform the task: part of the driving responsibility is delegated to the assistance system, while the driver assumes a more supervisory role. Although some degree of automation provided by the assistance system, the driver remains the only element of the entire system (driver-vehicle-environment) making decisions according to the trip purposes, the information provided by the system and the traffic situations and conditions. The changes in the driving task impose a behavioural adaptation, which can be shorter or longer, more or less difficult, depending on the driver’s age, experience and driving frequency. Furthermore, behavioural adaptation involves a learning process, then the acquisition of new automatisms. As drivers become familiar with an ADAS, they build up a mental representation of the system, which reflects their understanding of its purpose, its expected performance in various driving situations, and its internal algorithms determining its functioning. The level of trust in the system developed by the driver along the adaptation period, together with drivers’ mental models, are important aspects to be considered in their behavioural adaptation regarding ADAS use, as they are expected to influence drivers’ information processing and Situation Awareness. The main goal of this project is the study of the driver’s behavioural adaptation regarding the use of a selected group of ADAS (Adaptive Cruise Control and Parking Aid System), as well as the identification of the related side effects of long-term use on fitness to drive without the systems. Research methodology Type of study: longitudinal Sample: 32 participants divided into two groups of drivers: standard (aged from 35 to 55 years-old) and elderly drivers (³65 years-old) Procedure: The data collection should be done in three different moments in order to analyse the driver’s interaction with the studied in-vehicle systems. Only subjects that have bought recently a car equipped with such systems shall be selected. Testing moments:
In each moment different methods will be applied to collect distinct types of data:
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| Requirements | All candidates must be fluent in spoken and written English. The candidate must have a background on Human Factors/Ergonomics or Transport Engineering |
| How to apply | Applications (in English) including a CV, certificates of the grades of examination, a motivation letter as well as two letters of recommendation should be sent by e-mail to anabela.simoes(at)isec.universitas.pt |
| Remuneration | The remuneration will be in line with the EC rules for Marie Curie grant holders and consists of a salary augmented by a net mobility allowance. http://cordis.europa.eu/fp7. |
| Person to contact for further information | Professor Anabela Simoes (anabela.simoes(at)isec.universitas.pt) Professor Marta Pereira (msopereira(at)isec.universitas.pt) Telephone +351217541310 |