Anneli Olsen: The Growing Breach: A Study of Truck Drivers and Diagnostics

Abstract: Research on remote diagnostics focuses on extracting data from sensors within the vehicle, but typically ignores what is perhaps the most important sensor of them all: the driver. Research on how diagnostics actually is carried out in workshops has documented that the interaction between the technician and the driver is crucial in order to establish a correct diagnosis. Therefore, we decided to investigate the drivers ’ view of diagnostics. We found that the older generation of truck drivers learnt how to diagnose and repair their trucks by looking over the shoulders of assisting mechanics. However, the advanced technology needed to make diagnoses today has deprived the young of both the motivation and the possibility to do the same. We concluded in the light of prior research, that the resulting lack of knowledge will become a problem for future diagnostics. To avoid this and give the drivers better insight into the truck diagnostics, a redesign of the interface and diagnostic system in the vehicles, better adapted to the drivers, is needed