Effects of Cognitive Distraction and Driving Environment Complexity on Adaptive Cruise Control Use and Its Impact on Driving Performance: A Simulator Study

Halin, Anaïs; Van Droogenbroeck, Marc; Devue, Christel

doi:10.1145/3744333.3747822

Paper published in a book (Scientific congresses and symposiums)

Effects of Cognitive Distraction and Driving Environment Complexity on Adaptive Cruise Control Use and Its Impact on Driving Performance: A Simulator Study

Halin, Anaïs; Van Droogenbroeck, Marc; Devue, Christel

2025 • In AutomotiveUI '25: Proceedings of the 17th International Conference on Automotive User Interfaces and Interactive Vehicular Applications

Peer reviewed

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https://hdl.handle.net/2268/335274

DOI
10.1145/3744333.3747822

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Keywords :

Simulator Study; Driving Automation; Adaptive Automation; Driver State; Traffic Conditions; ADAS; ACC activations; ACC Engagement Time; Speed Limit Adherence; SDLP; Lane Changes

Abstract :

[en] In this simulator study, we adopt a human-centered approach to explore whether and how drivers’ cognitive state and driving environment complexity influence reliance on driving automation features. Besides, we examine whether such reliance affects driving performance. Participants operated a vehicle equipped with adaptive cruise control (ACC) in a simulator across six predefined driving scenarios varying in traffic conditions while either performing a cognitively demanding task (i.e., responding to mental calculations) or not. Throughout the experiment, participants had to respect speed limits and were free to activate or deactivate ACC. In complex driving environments, we found that the overall ACC engagement time was lower compared to less complex driving environments. We observed no significant effect of cognitive load on ACC use. Furthermore, while ACC use had no effect on the number of lane changes, it impacted the speed limits compliance and improved lateral control.

Research Center/Unit :

Montefiore Institute - Montefiore Institute of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science - ULiège
VIULab

Disciplines :

Computer science

Author, co-author :

Halin, Anaïs ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Montefiore Institute of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science

Van Droogenbroeck, Marc ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département d'électricité, électronique et informatique (Institut Montefiore) > Télécommunications

Devue, Christel ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département de Psychologie > Psychologie et neurosciences cognitives

Language :

English

Title :

Effects of Cognitive Distraction and Driving Environment Complexity on Adaptive Cruise Control Use and Its Impact on Driving Performance: A Simulator Study

Publication date :

2025

Event name :

17th International Conference on Automotive User Interfaces and Interactive Vehicular Applications (AutomotiveUI ’25)

Event place :

Brisbane, Australia

Event date :

du 22/09/2025 au 25/09/2025

Audience :

International

Main work title :

AutomotiveUI '25: Proceedings of the 17th International Conference on Automotive User Interfaces and Interactive Vehicular Applications

Publisher :

ACM

Pages :

1-17

Peer review/Selection committee :

Peer reviewed

Additional URL :

https://arxiv.org/abs/2507.13886
https://doi.org/10.1145/3744333.3747822

Name of the research project :

ARIAC

Funders :

SPW EER - Service Public de Wallonie. Economie, Emploi, Recherche

Funding number :

2010235

Available on ORBi :

since 18 August 2025

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