The Effect of Slippery Pavement on Drivers’ Takeover Performance

In conditionally automated driving, drivers are required to take over the vehicle under specific situations, which may occur when the road is slippery. The impact of slippery pavement conditions on drivers’ takeover performance remains unclear. To determine the effect, a driving simulation experiment was conducted based on a six-degree-of-freedom driving simulator. The experiment consisted of two test groups with varying wetness levels and a dry road control group. Results indicate that the frequency and magnitude of steering wheel increases in slippery conditions, especially in emergencies. As the level of slipperiness increases, understeering during the takeover process causes the vehicle to deflect outwards on roads. Certain drivers adopt conservative driving strategies when taking over control on wet roads by reducing speed and employing excessive steering wheel angles to counteract lateral deflection. The findings in this study would have significant implications for safety warnings and protective measures to improve the takeover performance in conditionally automated driving.