Design of human-machine interactions in light of domain-dependence of human-centered automation.

Abstract: This paper discusses that human-centered automation for traffic safety can vary depending on transportation mode. Quality of human operators and time-criticality are factors characterizing the domain-dependence. The questions asked in this paper are: (1) Does the statement that, "The human must be in command," have to hold at all times and on every occasion, and in every transportation mode? (2) What the automation may do when it detected the human's inappropriate behavior or performance while monitoring the human? Is it allowed only to give some warnings? Or, is it allowed to act autonomously to resolve the detected problem? This paper also argues that human-centered automation must be multilayered, by taking into account not only enhancement of situation awareness but also trading of authority between humans and machines