Insights for the Future of Car Rental and Ridesharing: Driving Behavior Across Different Levels of Automation

Autonomous vehicles are reshaping the car rental and ridesharing industries, potentially leading to a unified model of on-demand transportation suitable for both uncommon (e.g., business trips) and daily commuting. An exploratory study of human behavior towards autonomous vehicles can uncover the challenges and opportunities inherent in different levels of vehicle automation. This study aims to (a) identify behavioral differences in drivers operating vehicles at various levels of automation and (b) explore how these behaviors vary with different assistance feature styles, specifically between risky and conservative modes. Human-subject experiments were conducted among twelve participants (aged 21 to 29, including four women) to complete simulated driving trials under different levels of automation (Levels 0, 3, and 5), assistance features (risky and conservative modes), and driving activities (lane keeping and lane changing). Measures of driving performance, body posture, and eye movement were recorded during each trial. The data implied that: (1) driving performance: drivers exhibited stable speed and steering control at Levels 0 and 5, while speed decreased and steering variability increased obviously at Level 3; (2) driving posture: a tense posture was noted at Level 0, with potential posture preparation needed for takeover actions at Level 3; (3) eye movement: active scanning and continuous control were maintained at Level 0, with notable shifts in attention at Levels 3 and 5. Further research could focus on conducting on-road tests, using equipment designed for on-road tests and broadening the demographic range of participants.