Designing Trust Into Autonomous Driving

When early autonomous driving systems began appearing in production vehicles, one problem became clear: drivers often did not know when the car was actually driving itself.

During testing sessions at Faraday Future, I conducted a series of ride-alongs to observe how people interacted with autonomous driving features. What I discovered was surprising.

Drivers frequently believed the vehicle was still operating in autonomous mode when it had already disengaged.

In most systems, applying a small amount of torque to the steering wheel returns control to the driver. Participants often triggered this unintentionally while adjusting their hands, changing lanes, or interacting with controls.

In several cases, drivers did not realize the vehicle had switched back to manual control.

The technology itself was working correctly.

The issue was the interaction model.

Steering-wheel controls were designed for manual driving, yet they were still being used to interact with autonomous systems.

This insight led me to explore a different interaction model entirely: a dedicated control interface designed specifically for autonomous driving.

Research & Observations

Through ride-along testing and observational sessions, I began identifying patterns in driver behavior.

Participants often interacted with the steering wheel even when the vehicle was in autonomous mode. Small inputs intended to adjust speed or spacing would occasionally exceed the system’s torque threshold and disengage autonomy.

When this occurred, many drivers remained unaware that control had been returned to them.

When I pointed it out, the reaction was immediate.

Drivers were uncomfortable with the idea that the system could silently change state without them realizing it.

The challenge was not simply improving the technology.

The challenge was designing an interaction model that reinforced awareness, trust, and system state clarity.

Concept: The Autonomous Controller

To address this challenge, I designed a dedicated Autonomous Controller located in the center console.

When autonomous mode is activated, the controller motorizes upward into a usable position. When autonomy disengages, it automatically returns to its docked state.

This physical motion reinforces the vehicle’s operating state and creates a clear separation between manual and autonomous interaction.

The controller allows drivers to request actions from the vehicle without touching the steering wheel, preserving autonomous engagement while still allowing the driver to influence vehicle behavior.

System Architecture

The controller communicates with the vehicle’s autonomous driving system, which interprets the surrounding environment through sensor fusion including LiDAR, radar, cameras, and navigation data.

When the driver requests an action such as a lane change or speed adjustment, the autonomous system evaluates surrounding traffic conditions and determines whether the maneuver can be safely executed.

The driver provides intent.

The system maintains authority.