The human-factors' challenges of (tele)drivers of Autonomous Vehicles

Autonomous capabilities, including Autonomous Vehicle (AV) technology, aim to reduce human effort, extend capabilities, and enhance safety. While AVs offer societal benefits, human intervention remains necessary, especially in complex situations. As communication technology advances, human intervention is possible from remote sites. In such remote locations, highly skilled tele-drivers (TEDs) are ready to face situations too complicated for the AV. However, current work still needs a comprehensive mapping of the challenges that TEDs would face. Some of these challenges are shared with IVDs but may have stronger or weaker effects on the remote driver's ability to maintain safety. Other challenges, such as limited situational awareness of the road scene, the indirect experience of vehicle motion, and communication latency, are unique to TEDs. We assess the challenges, comparing their impact on TEDs versus IVDs, and explore technological countermeasures aimed at mitigating specific challenges encountered by TEDs. Lastly, we identified knowledge gaps and areas lacking understanding in the literature, highlighting avenues for future research and practical implications for practitioners.

Patient concerns posthaemorrhagic stroke: a study of the Internet narratives of patients with ruptured arteriovenous malformation

AIMS

To identify and describe the experiences and concerns of a sample of young haemorrhagic stroke patients who experienced a ruptured arteriovenous malformation and determine whether there are gender differences.

BACKGROUND

Patients with arteriovenous malformation haemorrhage tend to be young adults, but little is known about their experiences and concerns. Some research suggest that there is a need to take gender into account when investigating their experiences and concerns.

DESIGN

A content analysis of a sample of narratives posted by survivors of an arteriovenous malformation haemorrhage on an Internet site, to determine the extent to which writers discuss similar concerns and experiences.

METHODS

The sample consists of 83 narratives. The author and a research assistant carefully considered the content of each narrative, created categories based upon this reading and then coded men and women's narratives separately, according to the topic discussed.

RESULTS

Five main categories of topics were identified: 'symptoms', 'doctors and hospitals', 'rehabilitation and recovery', 'disabilities' and 'miscellaneous reflections'. The latter category contained the sub-categories 'arteriovenous malformation website', 'thanks', 'life now' and 'feelings'. Narratives varied greatly regarding how much each topic was addressed, but there were few gender differences. Overall, most attention was paid to discussing doctors and hospitals and most writers also paid significant attention to the importance of being able to share experiences with other survivors.

CONCLUSIONS

For these narrators, the experience of being evaluated and treated for arteriovenous malformation haemorrhage is traumatic, leaves a lasting impact and men and women share similar concerns and experiences. Narrators show a need to talk about their experiences, especially with others who may share similar experiences.

RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE

Knowing the concerns and perspectives of a sample of arteriovenous malformation patients may help nurses anticipate the concerns of their own haemorrhagic stroke patients and help improve patients' psychosocial well-being.