Operator interventions in autonomous off-road driving: effects of terrain

We participated in field trials of a semiautonomous vehicle. This gave us an opportunity to collect data on operator interventions. In this paper we present an analysis of why and how operators intervene and examine the efficiency of these interventions. We compare the results from two trials in very different terrain to determine how this affected the time and success of the operator interventions. In particular, we look at the time it took operators to acquire situational awareness in order to take the proper interaction. We discuss the implications of this on human-robot interactions and interfaces.