Exploring the Influence of Driving Context on Lateral Driving Style Preferences: A Simulator-Based Study

Technological advancements focus on developing comfortable and acceptable driving characteristics in autonomous vehicles. Present driving functions predominantly possess predefined parameters, and there is no universally accepted driving style for autonomous vehicles. Although driving may be technically safe, the passenger might still feel insecure due to a mismatch in driving styles between the human and the autonomous system. Incorporating driving style preferences into automated vehicles enhances acceptance, reduces uncertainty, and poses the opportunity to expedite their adoption. Despite the increased research focus on driving styles, there remains a need for comprehensive studies investigating how variations in the driving context impact the assessment of automated driving functions. Therefore, this work evaluates lateral driving style preferences for autonomous vehicles on rural roads, considering different weather and traffic situations. A controlled study (N = 32) was conducted with a variety of German participants utilizing a high-fidelity driving simulator. The subjects experienced four different driving styles, including mimicking of their own driving behavior under two weather conditions. A notable preference for the more passive driving style became evident based on statistical analyses of participants' responses during and after the drives. A low curve-cutting gradient, moderate lateral and longitudinal acceleration constraints, and a pronounced reaction to oncoming traffic characterize this style. This study could not confirm the hypothesis that subjects prefer to be driven by mimicking their own driving behavior. Furthermore, the study illustrated that weather conditions and oncoming traffic substantially influence the perceived comfort during autonomous rides.