Evaluating driver eye glance behavior and secondary task engagement while using driving automation systems

•The purpose of this study was to assess the prevalence of driving automation related complacency behaviors on public roadways.•Drivers looked away from the road longer while driving automation was active compared to when it was available but inactive.•Driver monitoring systems and consumer education should be utilized to facilitate suitable levels of trust and expectations. Partial driving automation systems are designed to assist drivers in some vehicle operation demands. However, modifications to the driving task that change the driver’s role from that of an active participant to a passive supervisor could result in insufficient monitoring of the driving automation system and the surrounding environment. A reduced subset of driving data for 19 drivers from the Virginia Connected Corridors 50 Elite Naturalistic Driving Study was used to assess whether driver eye glance behavior and secondary task engagement were different when driver assistance systems were active compared to when they were available but inactive (n = 148). The results of this study demonstrate that drivers spent more time looking away from the road while driving automation systems were active and that drivers were more likely to be observed browsing on their cell phones while using driving automation systems. Current driving automation features require human monitoring of automation, yet the drivers of these automation-equipped vehicles are inclined to engage in secondary tasks and take longer and more frequent glances away from the roadway. It is possible that performance effects, such as omission errors or delayed reactions, may occur as a result of drivers’ substandard monitoring of the driving scene.