Explanation Needs in Automated Driving: Insights from German Driving Education and Vehicle Acquisition

As driving assistance driving systems become increasingly advanced, a correct understanding of the functionality of these systems is crucial for safe use. In this work we explored drivers’ explanation needs and current explanation methods from an important but underlooked perspective: driver training and vehicle acquisition. In a two-step approach, we conducted expert interviews with n = 7 driving instructors and vehicle salespeople in Germany and validated these results with an online survey of n = 105. Our results show that Driver Assistance Systems (DASs) and Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADASs), are currently covered in both driver training and vehicle acquisition but to a varying extent and in a very application-oriented manner. A drivers’ tendency for preferring comparative explanations that build upon knowledge about similar systems was found. Based on the combined results, we emphasize the need for mandatory and standardized explanation methods to ensure a safe transition to automated driving.