Automated vehicles’ safety: The multidimensionality of disengagement reports

The concerns around the safety of automated vehicles (AVs) persist. This study examines AV disengagements using reports from the California Department of Motor Vehicles, focusing on the multidimensional factors influencing disengagements during Level 3 AV testing. Multidimensional factors include technological, environmental, human, and organizational aspects. The findings reveal that disengagements are not solely due to technological failures but also involve complex interactions with human perceptions, environmental conditions, and organizational characteristics of testing entities. Notably, although technological and environmental disengagements have increased over time, human-related disengagements have decreased, implying that advancements in AV technology are pushing vehicles into more complex operational scenarios. This study highlights the need for a holistic, multidimensional approach to AV safety by integrating technological, social, and environmental perspectives to better understand and address disengagements. The contributions of this study are twofold. First, it empirically demonstrates the multidimensionality of disengagement reports, which can be perceived as the last hurdle to Level 4 AVs. Second, this paper demonstrates that technological innovations do not happen in a bubble. Instead, they are accompanied, triggered, or are themselves stimulated by social interactions and their environments. These implications are critical for designing responsible AV technologies and informing policy framework.