Misses or False Alarms? How Error Type Affects Confidence In Automation Reliability Estimates

Prior research has shown that automation errors—false alarms and misses—differentially impact operator behavior, yet it is not clear why this difference exists. This study examined how the type of automation error, the automation’s reliability, and the number of experiences a person has with an automated system impacts their perception of the system. Participants responded to the correctness of an automation recommendation about the match between pairs of Mega Block shapes while automation reliability, number of trials, and error type varied. At the end of each block, participants provided their estimates of the automation’s reliability, ratings of their confidence in their reliability estimate, and their trust in the system. Our findings indicated that the type of automation error does not impact operator perceptions of the system. Instead, factors such as working memory limitations and pre-existing biases impact these perceptions.