Systems and methods for mitigating vigilance decrement while maintaining readiness using augmented reality in a vehicle

A non-transitory computer-readable medium for improving vigilance and readiness of an operator in an autonomous vehicle that includes an augmented reality (AR) display and storing instructions that when executed by one or more processors cause the one or more processors to:

• compute an engagement level of the operator according to operator state information monitored from at least one internal sensor of the autonomous vehicle to characterize an extent of vigilance decrement and readiness presently exhibited by the operator relative to operating characteristics of the autonomous vehicle including an external environment around the autonomous vehicle and at least semi-autonomous operation of the autonomous vehicle;
• and
• dynamically render, on the AR display, at least one graphical element that is a visualization based, at least in part, on sensor data about the external environment from at least one external sensor of the autonomous vehicle,
• wherein the instructions to dynamically render the at least one graphical element include instructions to vary visual characteristics of the at least one graphical element as a function of the engagement level in order to improve the engagement level of the operator in regards to the readiness and the vigilance of the operator for i) a manual handover of control to the operator by the autonomous vehicle and ii) independent intervention by the operator to takeover control of the autonomous vehicle.

A method of improving vigilance and readiness of an operator in an autonomous vehicle that includes an augmented reality (AR) display, comprising:

• computing, using a processor of the autonomous vehicle, an engagement level of the operator according to operator state information monitored from at least one internal sensor of the autonomous vehicle to characterize an extent of vigilance decrement and readiness presently exhibited by the operator relative to operating characteristics of the autonomous vehicle including an external environment around the autonomous vehicle and at least semi-autonomous operation of the autonomous vehicle;
• and
• dynamically rendering, by the processor on the AR display, at least one graphical element that is a visualization based, at least in part, on sensor data about the external environment from at least one external sensor of the autonomous vehicle,
• wherein dynamically rendering the at least one graphical element includes varying visual characteristics of the at least one graphical element as a function of the engagement level in order to improve the engagement level of the operator in regards to the readiness and the vigilance of the operator for i) a manual handover of control to the operator by the autonomous vehicle and ii) independent intervention by the operator to takeover control of the autonomous vehicle.