ABSTRACT
The role of the driver has changed tremendously over time. In the beginning of the automobile era, the driver’s most important skill was that of a mechanical engineer ensuring the operational reliability of the vehicle. These skills have been successfully replaced by technological advancements that provide us with highly reliable and safe systems. Today, we are facing a paradigm switch, moving from the traditional picture, in which the driver is engaged in solely driving-related tasks, toward a situation where the driver is involved in nondriving actions. We are both witnesses and facilitators of this change by transforming our automobiles from a simple means of transportation to a place of work and leisure. The most dramatic changes are taking place in the military domain. Here the operator of a vehicle has to fulfill requirements that are primarily mission related, such as surveillance and gun fire, at least for short periods of time.
