Conditionally automated driving requires drivers to resume vehicle control within constrained time budgets upon receiving takeover requests. Accurately predicting drivers’ takeover time (ToT) is essential for dynamically adjusting time budgets to individual needs across scenarios. This study addresses enduring challenges in reliability and interpretability of ToT prediction models by optimizing predictor selection. Using a driving simulator experiment, we examine the relationship between ToT, driver characteristics, and perceived Spare Capacity (pSC, a cognitive construct from Task-Capability Interface theory) using Category Boosting models. Results show that (i) incorporating 13 additional driver characteristics does not significantly improve prediction accuracy when pSC is already considered; and (ii) individual characteristics influence how drivers cognitively process takeover scenarios, and their predictive contribution likely overlaps with pSC. These findings suggest that monitoring cognitive states may be more effective for ToT prediction than extensive profiling of driver characteristics. This study provides a critical first step toward predictive frameworks for adaptive takeover strategies and offers guidance for designing personalized human–vehicle interactions.

Conditionally automated driving enables drivers to engage in non-driving-related activities, with the responsibility to take over vehicle control upon request. This takeover process increases the risk of collisions, especially when drivers fail to safely complete takeovers within limited time budgets (i.e., the time offered by automation for takeovers). This phenomenon underlines the significance of providing time budgets that sufficiently accommodate drivers' takeover time (i.e., the time required by drivers to resume conscious control of vehicles). Considering that drivers' takeover time varies significantly across scenarios, this study centres on understanding the role of driver perception in takeover time using the Task-Capability Interface (TCI) theory. The TCI theory suggests that drivers adjust their behaviours based on their perceived task demands and driver capabilities. Accordingly, in a driving simulator experiment featuring diverse traffic densities and distractions, we investigated drivers' takeover time while capturing their perceived task demands and capabilities through a takeover-oriented questionnaire based on established instruments. The results show that drivers generally have longer takeover time as their perceived task demand rises, perceived driver capability diminishes, and perceived spare capacity (perceived driver capability minus perceived task demand) decreases. These patterns fluctuate under conditions of low perceived task demand or high perceived driver capability. When both conditions coincide, drivers necessitate a considerably longer time to regain vehicle control. Our findings on takeover time contribute to the development of strategies aimed at predicting drivers' takeover time, optimizing time budgets, fostering human-centred vehicle design, and enhancing the safety of conditionally automated driving.