Supervisory Gaze Behaviour Under Different Automation Durations in Level 2 Driving: A First-Order Transition Analysis

Level 2 driving automation requires continuous driver supervision, yet common attention metrics often capture gaze allocation rather than the structure of supervisory scanning. This study proposes a quantitative approach for describing supervisory gaze organisation using first-order Markov chain analysis of gaze transitions. Forty-three licensed drivers (N=43) completed a simulator drive with Level 2 automation for either 5 or 15 min (between-subjects), representing typical Japanese expressway intervals between service areas. Supervisory behaviour was analysed at the scenario level, without introducing secondary tasks, allowing attentional drift to emerge naturally under automation. Eye-tracking data were manually annotated frame-by-frame at 60 Hz and modelled as transition probability matrices across key Areas of Interest (AOIs): road centre, mirrors, periphery, and the human–machine interface. Compared with the 5 min condition, the 15 min condition showed fewer mirror-to-road-centre recovery transitions and slower System-Recognised Reaction Time (SRRT) at the takeover request. These patterns suggest a gradual weakening of supervisory gaze organisation rather than a simple loss of attention. The proposed framework offers a reproducible way to calibrate driver monitoring and evaluate human–machine interfaces by linking gaze transition probabilities to takeover readiness. By quantifying how supervisory behaviour reorganises under extended automation in realistic driving scenarios, this study provides a practical basis for the development of safety-relevant driver monitoring indicators in Level 2 driver assistance systems.