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Mitigating driver confusion and aggression in mixed traffic: Effects of V2V communication and driving style.

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Title: Mitigating driver confusion and aggression in mixed traffic: Effects of V2V communication and driving style.
Authors: Chen H; Department of Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA., Zhang Y; Department of Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA; Department of Psychology and Behavioral Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310058, China. Electronic address: yiqizhang@zju.edu.cn.
Source: Accident; analysis and prevention [Accid Anal Prev] 2026 Oct; Vol. 236, pp. 108676. Date of Electronic Publication: 2026 Jul 24.
Publication Type: Journal Article
Language: English
Journal Info: Publisher: Pergamon Press Country of Publication: England NLM ID: 1254476 Publication Model: Print-Electronic Cited Medium: Internet ISSN: 1879-2057 (Electronic) Linking ISSN: 00014575 NLM ISO Abbreviation: Accid Anal Prev Subsets: MEDLINE
Imprint Name(s): Publication: Oxford : Pergamon Press
Original Publication: [New York, Pergamon Press]
MeSH Terms: Automobile Driving*/psychology , Aggression*/psychology , Confusion*/psychology , Confusion*/prevention & control , Communication* , Automobiles*, Humans ; Male ; Adult ; Computer Simulation ; Female ; Young Adult ; Automation
Abstract: Drivers in human-driven vehicles (HDVs) can get confused when encountering automated vehicles (AVs) driving so defensively that their behavior differs from what human drivers actually expect. The confusion may potentially provoke aggression toward AVs and jeopardize traffic safety. This study investigated whether a vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communication system can help mitigate HDV drivers' confusion and aggressive driving behavior toward AVs in HDV-AV interaction, considering the driving styles of both HDV drivers and AVs. Forty-eight participants, classified by driving style (defensive, moderate, or aggressive), completed a driving simulator experiment in two blocks (V2V-off vs. V2V-on). In each block, they interacted with aggressive AVs and defensive AVs, respectively. Behavioral indicators of confusion and aggressive driving behavior were recorded from the driving simulator, and subjective confusion was measured via questionnaires. The results showed that compared to the V2V-off condition, interaction under the V2V-on condition significantly reduced HDV drivers' confusion and mitigated aggressive driving behavior during the interaction. Aggressive AVs that asserted their right-of-way elicited less confusion among HDV drivers than defensive AVs that were more inclined to yield to other vehicles. These findings suggest that V2V communication and aggressive yet rule-compliant AV driving styles help reduce driver confusion and aggressive driving behavior, thereby improving HDV drivers' experiences and reducing conflict risk during HDV-AV negotiations.
(Copyright © 2026 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)
Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.
Contributed Indexing: Keywords: Aggressive driving behavior; Automated vehicles; Driver confusion; Driving style; Mixed traffic; V2V communication
Entry Date(s): Date Created: 20260724 Date Completed: 20260814 Latest Revision: 20260814
Update Code: 20260815
DOI: 10.1016/j.aap.2026.108676
PMID: 42497762
Database: MEDLINE
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  Data: Mitigating driver confusion and aggression in mixed traffic: Effects of V2V communication and driving style.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AU" term="%22Chen+H%22">Chen H</searchLink>; Department of Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA.<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AU" term="%22Zhang+Y%22">Zhang Y</searchLink>; Department of Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA; Department of Psychology and Behavioral Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310058, China. Electronic address: yiqizhang@zju.edu.cn.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="MM" term="%22Automobile+Driving%22">Automobile Driving*</searchLink>/<searchLink fieldCode="MM" term="%22Automobile+Driving+psychology%22">psychology</searchLink> <br /><searchLink fieldCode="MM" term="%22Aggression%22">Aggression*</searchLink>/<searchLink fieldCode="MM" term="%22Aggression+psychology%22">psychology</searchLink> <br /><searchLink fieldCode="MM" term="%22Confusion%22">Confusion*</searchLink>/<searchLink fieldCode="MM" term="%22Confusion+psychology%22">psychology</searchLink> <br /><searchLink fieldCode="MM" term="%22Confusion%22">Confusion*</searchLink>/<searchLink fieldCode="MM" term="%22Confusion+prevention+%26+control%22">prevention & control</searchLink> <br /><searchLink fieldCode="MM" term="%22Communication%22">Communication*</searchLink> <br /><searchLink fieldCode="MM" term="%22Automobiles%22">Automobiles*</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="MH" term="%22Humans%22">Humans</searchLink> ; <searchLink fieldCode="MH" term="%22Male%22">Male</searchLink> ; <searchLink fieldCode="MH" term="%22Adult%22">Adult</searchLink> ; <searchLink fieldCode="MH" term="%22Computer+Simulation%22">Computer Simulation</searchLink> ; <searchLink fieldCode="MH" term="%22Female%22">Female</searchLink> ; <searchLink fieldCode="MH" term="%22Young+Adult%22">Young Adult</searchLink> ; <searchLink fieldCode="MH" term="%22Automation%22">Automation</searchLink>
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: Drivers in human-driven vehicles (HDVs) can get confused when encountering automated vehicles (AVs) driving so defensively that their behavior differs from what human drivers actually expect. The confusion may potentially provoke aggression toward AVs and jeopardize traffic safety. This study investigated whether a vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communication system can help mitigate HDV drivers' confusion and aggressive driving behavior toward AVs in HDV-AV interaction, considering the driving styles of both HDV drivers and AVs. Forty-eight participants, classified by driving style (defensive, moderate, or aggressive), completed a driving simulator experiment in two blocks (V2V-off vs. V2V-on). In each block, they interacted with aggressive AVs and defensive AVs, respectively. Behavioral indicators of confusion and aggressive driving behavior were recorded from the driving simulator, and subjective confusion was measured via questionnaires. The results showed that compared to the V2V-off condition, interaction under the V2V-on condition significantly reduced HDV drivers' confusion and mitigated aggressive driving behavior during the interaction. Aggressive AVs that asserted their right-of-way elicited less confusion among HDV drivers than defensive AVs that were more inclined to yield to other vehicles. These findings suggest that V2V communication and aggressive yet rule-compliant AV driving styles help reduce driver confusion and aggressive driving behavior, thereby improving HDV drivers' experiences and reducing conflict risk during HDV-AV negotiations.<br /> (Copyright © 2026 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)
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  Data: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.
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  Data: <i>Keywords: </i>Aggressive driving behavior; Automated vehicles; Driver confusion; Driving style; Mixed traffic; V2V communication
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        Value: 10.1016/j.aap.2026.108676
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        Text: English
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      – SubjectFull: Automation
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      – SubjectFull: Automobile Driving psychology
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Aggression psychology
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      – SubjectFull: Automobiles
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      – TitleFull: Mitigating driver confusion and aggression in mixed traffic: Effects of V2V communication and driving style.
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