Investigation of Factors Affecting the Usability Evaluation of an Adaptive Cruise Control System

In this study, we investigate the factors affecting the usability evaluation of an adaptive cruise control (ACC) system. In this experiment, the participants drove a Toyota Prius car with an ACC on a highway. We sampled 215 types of driving data recorded at a frequency of 60 Hz during driving. At each of the six designated stop points on the driving course, the participants stopped their cars and evaluated the usability of the ACC system by answering the usability questionnaire for automation systems. The participants’ driving styles were measured using the driving style questionnaire. The multiple regression analyses showed that the participants’ driving styles, the ACC’s driving control, and the participants’ intervention in the driving control of the ACC influenced the usability evaluation. The results were discussed in terms of the human–automation interactions and the design principles of an ACC.