Evaluating the Human-Automated Maintenance Vehicle Interaction for Improved Safety and Facilitating Long-Term Trust

Automated Truck-Mounted Attenuators (ATMAs) utilize technology to remove a human driver from a vehicle with a high potential for collision. This report evaluates Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) workers’ perceptions of working with this automated technology, in order to identify any disconnect between operators and the ATMA system. The study objective was to 1) understand workers’ acceptance and understanding of the ATMA technology; 2) Identify ATMA-worker interactions that are successful and interactions that could be improved; and 3) evaluate how various training impacts their perceptions, acceptance, and use. A survey was conducted with 13 CDOT workers with experience using ATMAs. Overall, workers had a positive opinion regarding the ATMA; such as its improvement on safety, the automation’s reliability, the reasonable workload associated with operating it, and design of the interfaces. However, workers were not confident in operating the ATMA in more complex environments. Workers that had received training in more diverse settings (e.g., classroom and hands-on practice) were more confident in the ATMA and in their own abilities. These results show that: 1) investments into ATMAs will likely be accepted and adopted by workers; 2) the current design and structured operating practices are acceptable for use in non-complex driving environments; and 3) initial and continued training in both classroom and test-track settings improves worker-ATMA operations.

  • Record URL:
  • Corporate Authors:

    Colorado State University, Fort Collins

    Department of Systems Engineering
    Fort Collins, CO  United States  80523

    Colorado Department of Transportation

    Applied Research and Innovation Branch
    Denver, CO  United States  80204

    Colorado Department of Transportation

    Office of Innovative Mobility
    Denver, CO  United States  8022

    Federal Highway Administration

    1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
    Washington, DC  United States  20590
  • Authors:
    • Miller, Erika E
    • Pourfalatoun, Shiva
    • Nylen, Ashley
    • Weldon, Tyler
  • Publication Date: 2021-5

Language

  • English

Media Info

  • Media Type: Digital/other
  • Edition: Final Report
  • Features: Appendices; Figures; Photos; References; Tables;
  • Pagination: 32p

Subject/Index Terms

Filing Info

  • Accession Number: 01847648
  • Record Type: Publication
  • Report/Paper Numbers: CDOT-2021-05
  • Contract Numbers: 5380-19-02
  • Files: TRIS, ATRI, USDOT, STATEDOT
  • Created Date: May 31 2022 9:16AM