Automated Driving Does Not Work Without the Involvement of the Driver

This paper has discussed driver assistance all the way to replacing the driver, or certain driver functions, by automated driving. The discussion has emanated from both theoretical considerations and from an empirical example, an investigation of possible effects of adaptive cruise control (ACC) driving in critical driving situations. Both approaches show that automated driving does not work without the involvement of the driver because automated driving also means interaction between humans/drivers and machines/vehicles. It is expected that the technical design of the future driving systems that are also highly automated ones will be improved. It will not be possible to design automated functions that work safely and appropriately in all possible and unexpected traffic environments in the near future. The human driver, with her special skills and qualities, will be needed to intervene in some specific situations, and perhaps decide and judge when human assistance is needed.