Drivers’ usage of driving automation systems in different contexts: A survey in China, Germany, Spain and USA

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to investigate how drivers use assisted and automated driving systems (DAS), more specifically their usage of SAE Level 1 and Level 2 systems, in different situations. An online survey was distributed to 2500 respondents in China, Germany, Spain, and the USA. The final dataset consisted of 549 respondents, all non‐professional drivers, with access to a minimum of a Level 1 system. A subset, 159 in total, had access also to a Level 2 DAS. The survey included questions on the attitude towards, access to, and usage of Level 1 and Level 2 systems in nine different situations respectively. The data was analysed on an individual and a national level. A cluster analysis showed two main groups: frequent and non‐frequent users. On an individual level, the reported usage of Level 1 and Level 2 DAS respectively differed depending on traffic situation, weather and daylight conditions and driver state. Reports by respondents with access to both Level 1 and Level 2 systems did not reveal any statistically significant differences in usage between situations. The Spanish sample was the only one that showed a consistently different usage pattern compared to samples from China, Germany, and the USA.