Beyond SAE J3016: New Design Spaces for Human-Centered Driving Automation

The SAE International plays a major role in shaping research and development in the field of automated driving through its SAE J3016 automation taxonomy. Although the taxonomy contributed significantly to classification and development of automated driving, it has certain limitations. SAE J3016 implies an “all or nothing” approach for the human operation of the driving task. Within this paper, we describe the potential of moving considerations regarding automated driving beyond the SAE J3016. To this end, we have taken a structured look at the system consisting of the human driver and the automated vehicle. This paper presents an abstraction hierarchy based on a literature review. The focus lies particularly on the functional purpose of the system under consideration. In particular, optional parts of the functional purpose like driver satisfaction are introduced as a main part of the target function. We extend the classification into optional and mandatory aspects to the lower levels of abstraction within the developed hierarchy. Especially the decisions on movement and dynamics in terms of driving parameters and driving maneuvers offer a so far underestimated design space for (optional) driver interventions. This paper reveals that the SAE J3016 lacks a consideration of these kind of interventions. The identified design space does not replace the SAE J3016, it does however broaden the perspective provided by this important taxonomy.