Master’s Thesis: Assessing the Development of Operator Trust in Automation
Dates: Completed May 2021
Project Role: Master’s Student
Focus Areas: Trust in Automation, Human Behavior, Experimental Design
Project Overview
In 2021, Texas A&M University, in partnership with the Texas A&M Transportation Institute (TTI), hosted an autonomous shuttle on campus. The shuttle operated in mixed traffic along a 1.4-mile fixed route with two designated stops for students and faculty to board. The vehicle was classified as an SAE Level 3 automated vehicle and was operated by five trained student operators over a 12-week demonstration period. This project focused on understanding operator trust in automation and how relationships and trust evolve over time. Through this demonstration, the study examined changes in user perception, behavior, and trust.
My Contributions and Responsibilities
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Project Artifacts
These artifacts highlight selected pages from my master's thesis, showcasing both the study design and key findings. In particular, the excerpts illustrate how I structured interviews and surveys, conducted qualitative and quantitative analysis, and synthesized results to understand how trust in automation develops over time. Together, the findings reveal how operator trust is shaped by system performance, situational awareness, and individual differences.
Abstract
Study Procedure
Discussion and Conclusion
