Steering wheel that negotiates with drivers boosts trust in autonomy

Researchers at University of Michigan Engineering and the Toyota Research Institute built a specialized steering wheel that enables negotiation between drivers and an autonomous driving simulation. In tests, the setup improved driving performance and drivers' trust in autonomous vehicle features.

• The steering wheel relays autonomous system decisions to the driver
• Tests were run in a driving simulator with human drivers
• Negotiation via the wheel increased trust in autonomous features
• Work is a joint effort by University of Michigan and Toyota Research Institute