An exploration UX Automotive in the 5G era: New interaction processes through gesture control and haptic feedback.

Cars are becoming smart devices with intelligent interfaces that fit into the smart driving environment, able to connect and coordinate with each other to ensure seamless user adoption. This is the context for the BASE5G project, a multidisciplinary project that aims to harness the potential of 5G connectivity to design adaptive urban environments in which cars are part of complex, infrastructure-integrated systems. The proposed work recounts the experience of designing the interior of a shared self driving vehicle, with a focus on interface design. The interface design explores a touchless user interaction model involving a gesture-based control system implemented by haptic feedback. The project aims to explore a design scenario for an experiential car interface and interior that considers new visualisation and interaction paradigms in future mobility

Uncovering perceived identification accuracy of in-vehicle biometric sensing

Biometric techniques can help make vehicles safer to drive, authenticate users, and provide personalized in-car experiences. However, it is unclear to what extent users are willing to trade their personal biometric data for such benefits. In this early work, we conducted an open card sorting study (N=11) to better understand how well users perceive their physical, behavioral and physiological features can personally identify them. Findings showed that on average participants clustere

Acceptability and Acceptance of Connected Automated Vehicles:A Literature Review and Focus Groups

A lot of resources and manpower are being allocated to develop Connected Automated Vehicles (CAV). CAV are Automated Vehicles (AV) with vehicle connectivity abilities to further increase road safety and user convenience. For a successful implementation of CAV, the psychological factors that predict its acceptance have to be researched. The present paper provides a literature review of the individual differences and perceived characteristics that could influence CAV's acceptance. Additionally, we report the results of several focus groups that were held in 4 European countries to highlight additional factors not reported in the literature yet

Assessing travel time savings and user benefits of automated driving – A case study for a commuting relation

Combining cooperative vehicle driving behavior of Connected and Automated Vehicles with supporting information infrastructure, is expected to increase the capacity of roadway infrastructure, which in turn results in travel time savings and user benefits. Automated driving also relieves the driver from steering the car, allowing to conduct other activities during the trip, which is likely to generate further user benefits. In order to assess the magnitude of automated driving on travel time-related user benefits, a typical commuting relation is analyzed, considering three route options as well as level 4 and 5 vehicle automation. The impacts on travel times are estimated by microscopic traffic flow simulations. The simulations reveal that around 27% of the travel time can be saved on a commuting relation due to road automation according to level 5. For level 4 vehicles the travel time savings amount to up to 20%. User benefits that accrue from time savings and the passenger\u27s option of using travelling time for activities other than conducting the car, are expected at a relevant magnitude. Even under consideration of higher operating costs of an automated car, significant user benefits accrue: 1,310–2,240 € p.a. for level 4 and 2,770–3,440 € p.a. for level 5 vehicles during a passenger car\u27s typical depreciation period. Thus, automated driving will decrease the commuters\u27 generalized user costs for individual motorized mobility, which is likely to enhance the urban hinterland\u27s attractiveness as residential area. This pattern and inherent second-order effects pose challenges for transport, land use and urban planners. Furthermore, it represents a challenge for transport research: to elaborate appropriate concepts that allow for exploiting the benefits of use of automated vehicles while countervailing undesirable socio-economic effects, as well as strains on the transport system and land use

Designing passenger experiences for in-car Mixed Reality

In day-to-day life, people spend a considerable amount of their time on the road. People seek to invest travel time for work and well-being through interaction with mobile and multimedia applications on personal devices such as smartphones and tablets. However, for new computing paradigms, such as mobile mixed reality (MR), their usefulness in this everyday transport context, in-car MR remains challenging. When future passengers immerse in three-dimensional virtual environments, they become increasingly disconnected from the cabin space, vehicle motion, and other people around them. This degraded awareness of the real environment endangers the passenger experience on the road, which initially motivates this thesis to question: can immersive technology become useful in the everyday transport context, such as for in-car scenarios? If so, how should we design in-car MR technology to foster passenger access and connectedness to both physical and virtual worlds, ensuring ride safety, comfort, and joy? To this aim, this thesis contributes via three aspects: 1) Understanding passenger use of in-car MR —first, I present a model for in-car MR interaction through user research. As interviews with daily commuters reveal, passengers are concerned with their physical integrity when facing spatial conflicts between borderless virtual environments and the confined cabin space. From this, the model aims to help researchers spatially organize information and how user interfaces vary in the proximity of the user. Additionally, a field experiment reveals contextual feedback about motion sickness when using immersive technology on the road. This helps refine the model and instruct the following experiments. 2) Mixing realities in car rides —second, this thesis explores a series of prototypes and experiments to examine how in-car MR technology can enable passengers to feel present in virtual environments while maintaining awareness of the real environment. The results demonstrate technical solutions for physical integrity and situational awareness by incorporating essential elements of the RE into virtual reality. Empirical evidence provides a set of dimensions into the in-car MR model, guiding the design decisions of mixing realities. 3) Transcending the transport context —third, I extend the model to other everyday contexts beyond transport that share spatial and social constraints, such as the confined and shared living space at home. A literature review consolidates leveraging daily physical objects as haptic feedback for MR interaction across spatial scales. A laboratory experiment discovers how context-aware MR systems that consider physical configurations can support social interaction with copresent others in close shared spaces. These results substantiate the scalability of the in-car MR model to other contexts. Finally, I conclude with a holistic model for mobile MR interaction across everyday contexts, from home to on the road. With my user research, prototypes, empirical evaluation, and model, this thesis paves the way for understanding the future passenger use of immersive technology, addressing today’s technical limitations of MR in mobile interaction, and ultimately fostering mobile users’ ubiquitous access and close connectedness to MR anytime and anywhere in their daily lives.Im modernen Leben verbringen die Menschen einen beträchtlichen Teil ihrer Zeit mit dem täglichen Pendeln. Die Menschen versuchen, die Reisezeit für ihre Arbeit und ihr Wohlbefinden durch die Interaktion mit mobilen und multimedialen Anwendungen auf persönlichen Geräten wie Smartphones und Tablets zu nutzen. Doch für neue Computing-Paradigmen, wie der mobilen Mixed Reality (MR), bleibt ihre Nützlichkeit in diesem alltäglichen Verkehrskontext, der MR im Auto, eine Herausforderung. Wenn künftige Passagiere in dreidimensionale virtuelle Umgebungen eintauchen, werden sie zunehmend von der Kabine, der Fahrzeugbewegung und den Menschen in ihrer Umgebung abgekoppelt. Diese verminderte Wahrnehmung der realen Umgebung gefährdet das Fahrverhalten der Passagiere im Straßenverkehr, was diese Arbeit zunächst zu der Frage motiviert: Können immersive Systeme im alltäglichen Verkehrskontext, z.B. in Fahrzeugszenarien, nützlich werden? Wenn ja, wie sollten wir die MR-Technologie im Auto gestalten, um den Zugang und die Verbindung der Passagiere mit der physischen und der virtuellen Welt zu fördern und dabei Sicherheit, Komfort und Freude an der Fahrt zu gewährleisten? Zu diesem Zweck trägt diese Arbeit zu drei Aspekten bei: 1) Verständnis der Nutzung von MR im Auto durch die Passagiere - Zunächst wird ein Modell für die MR-Interaktion im Auto durch user research vorgestellt. Wie aus Interviews mit täglichen Pendlern hervorgeht, sind die Passagiere um ihre körperliche Unversehrtheit besorgt, wenn sie mit räumlichen Konflikten zwischen grenzenlosen virtuellen Umgebungen und dem begrenzten Kabinenraum konfrontiert werden. Das Modell soll Forschern dabei helfen, Informationen und Benutzerschnittstellen räumlich zu organisieren, die in der Nähe des Benutzers variieren. Darüber hinaus zeigt ein Feldexperiment kontextbezogenes Feedback zur Reisekrankheit bei der Nutzung immersiver Technologien auf der Straße. Dies hilft, das Modell zu verfeinern und die folgenden Experimente zu instruieren. 2) Vermischung von Realitäten bei Autofahrten - Zweitens wird in dieser Arbeit anhand einer Reihe von Prototypen und Experimenten untersucht, wie die MR-Technologie im Auto es den Passagieren ermöglichen kann, sich in virtuellen Umgebungen präsent zu fühlen und gleichzeitig das Bewusstsein für die reale Umgebung zu behalten. Die Ergebnisse zeigen technische Lösungen für räumliche Beschränkungen und Situationsbewusstsein, indem wesentliche Elemente der realen Umgebung in VR integriert werden. Die empirischen Erkenntnisse bringen eine Reihe von Dimensionen in das Modell der MR im Auto ein, die die Designentscheidungen für gemischte Realitäten leiten. 3) Über den Verkehrskontext hinaus - Drittens erweitere ich das Modell auf andere Alltagskontexte jenseits des Verkehrs, in denen räumliche und soziale Zwänge herrschen, wie z.B. in einem begrenzten und gemeinsam genutzten Wohnbereich zu Hause. Eine Literaturrecherche konsolidiert die Nutzung von Alltagsgegenständen als haptisches Feedback für MR-Interaktion über räumliche Skalen hinweg. Ein Laborexperiment zeigt, wie kontextbewusste MR-Systeme, die physische Konfigurationen berücksichtigen, soziale Interaktion mit anderen Personen in engen gemeinsamen Räumen ermöglichen. Diese Ergebnisse belegen die Übertragbarkeit des MR-Modells im Auto auf andere Kontexte. Schließlich schließe ich mit einem ganzheitlichen Modell für mobile MR-Interaktion in alltäglichen Kontexten, von zu Hause bis unterwegs. Mit meiner user research, meinen Prototypen und Evaluierungsexperimenten sowie meinem Modell ebnet diese Dissertation den Weg für das Verständnis der zukünftigen Nutzung immersiver Technologien durch Passagiere, für die Überwindung der heutigen technischen Beschränkungen von MR in der mobilen Interaktion und schließlich für die Förderung des allgegenwärtigen Zugangs und der engen Verbindung der mobilen Nutzer zu MR jederzeit und überall in ihrem täglichen Leben

Non-Driving Related Activities Inside an Automated Vehicle Among Malaysia Passengers

The advancement of automotive technology has led to the development of automated vehicles. The trend of passengers performing non-driving-related activities during travel was expected to continue in the future of automated vehicles. It is essential to discover the type of activities that the users prefer to improve the interior design of an automated vehicle. Past studies show that every country has different preferred non-driving related activities. The main objective of this study is to collect data on preferred non-driving related activities, specifically by Malaysians, using online questionnaires. 293 respondents answered the questionnaires in six (6) months. As a result, the top three (3) non-driving related activities in Malaysia are listening to music, calling or texting, and interacting with others. In addition, the most preferred seating position as a passenger, the most suitable travel duration to perform non-driving related activities uninterrupted, and the preferred seating configuration of the automated vehicle were also discovered. The outcome of this study will add knowledge for designing better future automated vehicles suitable for Malaysian users

The well-being of Autonomous Vehicles (AVs) users under uncertain situations

Autonomous vehicles (AVs) have made significant progress towards large-scale deployment, offering numerous advantages to society. These benefits include enhanced comfort, safety, efficient utilization of resources (such as energy and land), and environmental protection. Moreover, the potential positive impact of AVs on people's health, such as reducing stress during traffic, is often emphasised. Research suggests that reducing driver responsibilities and allowing leisure activities like reading or entertainment can contribute to overall well-being. However, these assumptions are primarily based on theoretical grounds. This paper aims to investigate the correlation between the level of automation in AVs and public well-being responses, particularly in uncertain and challenging driving scenarios. Through four comprehensive studies, we discovered a significant decrease in well-being responses as the level of automation increases in vehicles. Nonetheless, this pattern is subject to sensitivity based on the level of uncertainty present in the driving scenarios. Consequently, when individuals face higher uncertainty, they tend to experience greater calmness and relaxation at higher levels of automation compared to lower levels. These findings offer valuable insights into comprehending the psychological barriers that influence public perception of AVs

Drivers\u27 Ability to Engage in a Non-Driving Related Task While in Automated Driving Mode in Real Traffic

Engaging in non-driving related tasks (NDRTs) while driving can be considered distracting and safety detrimental. However, with the introduction of highly automated driving systems that relieve drivers from driving, more NDRTs will be feasible. In fact, many car manufacturers emphasize that one of the main advantages with automated cars is that it "frees up time" for other activities while on the move. This paper investigates how well drivers are able to engage in an NDRT while in automated driving mode (i.e., SAE Level 4) in real traffic, via a Wizard of Oz platform. The NDRT was designed to be visually and cognitively demanding and require manual interaction. The results show that the drivers\u27 attention to a great extent shifted from the road ahead towards the NDRT. Participants could perform the NDRT equally well as when in an office (e.g. correct answers, time to completion), showing that the performance did not deteriorate when in the automated vehicle. Yet, many participants indicated that they noted and reacted to environmental changes and sudden changes in vehicle motion. Participants were also surprised by their own ability to, with ease, disconnect from driving. The presented study extends previous research by identifying that drivers to a high extent are able to engage in a NDRT while in automated mode in real traffic. This is promising for future of automated cars ability to "free up time" and enable drivers to engage in non-driving related activities