Enhancing Takeover Performance in Autonomous Vehicles Through Augmented Highlighting Displays

Objective This study aims to introduce a novel augmented display technology that enhances visibility of forward vehicles by projecting critical highlighting information onto the windshield, and to validate its effectiveness in improving occupants’ reaction, acceptance, and workload. Background The rapid advancements in autonomous driving technology have brought significant changes to the automotive landscape; however, trust and safety concerns remain major barriers to widespread acceptance. To address these issues, enhancing occupants’ reaction efficiency with workload and acceptance in autonomous vehicle operations is critical. Method Utilizing two distinct highlighting display methods—surface and outline—within a virtual reality simulation, the research examines their effects on occupants’ acceptance including perception of safety through AVAM (Autonomous vehicle acceptance model), and workload through NASA-TLX to dynamic road scenarios during autonomous driving. Results The findings reveal that highlighting display significantly enhances acceptance and workload with reaction time, but their effectiveness varies. Surface highlighting was found to better reduce anxiety and increase perceived safety, while outline highlighting more effectively reduced mental demand. Conclusion These results offer valuable insights into the dynamic interaction between advanced display technologies and autonomous vehicle operations, highlighting the potential benefits and challenges in their implementation to foster broader acceptance of autonomous vehicles. Application By intuitively projecting critical information during takeover scenarios, this technology addresses trust and safety barriers in autonomous driving, potentially enhancing prompt responses, accelerating autonomous vehicle integration, and improving the overall driving experience.