The Out-of-the-Loop Performance Problem and Level of Control in Automation

The out-of-the-loop performance problem, a major potential consequence of automation, leaves operators of automated systems handicapped in their ability to take over manual operations in the event of automation failure. This is attributed to a possible loss of skills and of situation awareness (SA)...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Human factors 1995-06, Vol.37 (2), p.381-394
Main Authors: Endsley, Mica R., Kiris, Esin O.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Automation
Biological and medical sciences
Data processing
Ergonomics. Human factors
Expert systems
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Human-machine systems
Information processing
Mechanization
Navigation
Occupational psychology
Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry
Psychology. Psychophysiology
Situational awareness
Technology application
Vigilance
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Summary:The out-of-the-loop performance problem, a major potential consequence of automation, leaves operators of automated systems handicapped in their ability to take over manual operations in the event of automation failure. This is attributed to a possible loss of skills and of situation awareness (SA) arising from vigilance and complacency problems, a shift from active to passive information processing, and change in feedback provided to the operator. We studied the automation of a navigation task using an expert system and demonstrated that low SA corresponded with out-of-the-loop performance decrements in decision time following a failure of the expert system. Level of operator control in interacting with automation is a major factor in moderating this loss of SA. Results indicated that the shift from active to passive processing was most likely responsible for decreased SA under automated conditions.
ISSN:0018-7208
1547-8181
DOI:10.1518/001872095779064555