1 HN user recommended this documentary1 month2018–2022score 1
Years with an HN recommendation, 2007–2026
HN finds it fascinating and suggests the technique for keeping operators like test drivers attentive.
A short documentary clip of Japanese railway workers and Toyota staff using pointing-and-calling, a safety practice of physically pointing at and naming things while working. It includes examples from several railway companies.
Contrary to many here, I feel that it's perfectly reasonable to have a backup human driver if they are trained to act accordingly . The Japanese pointing-and-calling technique comes to mind as a good example of keeping drivers engaged: they would have to continuously, actively point at dangers and at the car's appropriate response. [this video] (quite fascinating to watch) Combine this with short sessions (not driving around for hours with nothing to do), and I think the driver would have had a reasonable chance of preventing this accident.
Demonstrates pointing-and-calling as a way to keep drivers engaged
In Japanese rail, conductors and drivers periodically point with their hand [1][2] to indicate awareness of the task. Reading the article, perhaps these distracted test drivers could use a similar approach. [1] [link] [2] [this video]
Shows Japanese rail pointing-and-calling technique for keeping operators attentive
I was mesmerised how the Japanese train operators (and perhaps other similar workers) have to follow checklists where they physically point[0] at everything they are doing even when they are alone. Now I'm wondering whether this approach actually works. [0] - [this video]
Shows Japanese operators physically pointing at everything they do
Perhaps they could pick up the Japanese train drivers pointing and calling: [this video] Referring to things in multiple ways is supposed to have a more thorough confirmation, although not a good idea to point whilst wielding a scalpel.
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