A Survey on Perceptions of Smartwatch Haptic Feedback for Enhancing Automated Vehicle Takeover Decisions

Abstract

The imperfections in the driving automation system have challenged older adults because the takeover process is cognitively and physically demanding. Due to the wrist being more vibration-sensitive, the haptic display on the smartwatch could be a good option to warn the driver. However, the preference between two vibrotactile patterns, dynamic patterns (vibrating sequences at different locations on the smartwatch) and static patterns (vibrating at certain locations on the smartwatch), is still unclear. Therefore, this study examined the effects of vibrotactile patterns between younger (mean age = 30.97) and older adults (mean age = 69.45) using a national survey. Three hundred forty respondents’ data were collected. The results showed that static patterns received higher usefulness and satisfaction scores than dynamic patterns. However, no age differences were found. These findings provide a potential guide for the next-generation takeover warning system on wrist-wearable devices in the automated system.