scholarly journals Impact of External Human–Machine Interface Communication Strategies of Automated Vehicles on Pedestrians’ Crossing Decisions and Behaviors in an Urban Environment

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (15) ◽  
pp. 8396
Author(s):  
Marc Wilbrink ◽  
Merle Lau ◽  
Johannes Illgner ◽  
Anna Schieben ◽  
Michael Oehl
Keyword(s):  
Urban Traffic ◽  
Automated Vehicles ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Communication Tools ◽  
Automated Vehicle ◽  
Additional Information ◽  
Road Users ◽  
Vulnerable Road Users ◽  
And Behaviors ◽  
Vehicle Automation

The development of automated vehicles (AVs) and their integration into traffic are seen by many vehicle manufacturers and stakeholders such as cities or transportation companies as a revolution in mobility. In future urban traffic, it is more likely that AVs will operate not in separated traffic spaces but in so-called mixed traffic environments where different types of traffic participants interact. Therefore, AVs must be able to communicate with other traffic participants, e.g., pedestrians as vulnerable road users (VRUs), to solve ambiguous traffic situations. To achieve well-working communication and thereby safe interaction between AVs and other traffic participants, the latest research discusses external human–machine interfaces (eHMIs) as promising communication tools. Therefore, this study examines the potential positive and negative effects of AVs equipped with static (only displaying the current vehicle automation status (VAS)) and dynamic (communicating an AV’s perception and intention) eHMIs on the interaction with pedestrians by taking subjective and objective measurements into account. In a Virtual Reality (VR) simulator study, 62 participants were instructed to cross a street while interacting with non-automated (without eHMI) and automated vehicles (equipped with static eHMI or dynamic eHMI). The results reveal that a static eHMI had no effect on pedestrians’ crossing decisions and behaviors compared to a non-automated vehicle without any eHMI. However, participants benefit from the additional information of a dynamic eHMI by making earlier decisions to cross the street and higher certainties regarding their decisions when interacting with an AV with a dynamic eHMI compared to an AV with a static eHMI or a non-automated vehicle. Implications for a holistic evaluation of eHMIs as AV communication tools and their safe introduction into traffic are discussed based on the results.

Proxemics and Kinesics in Automated Vehicle–Pedestrian Communication: Representing Ethnographic Observations

2019 ◽  
Vol 2673 (10) ◽  
pp. 70-81 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joshua Domeyer ◽  
Azadeh Dinparastdjadid ◽  
John D. Lee ◽  
Grace Douglas ◽  
Areen Alsaid ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Transportation System ◽  
Communication Tool ◽  
Spatial Cues ◽  
Communication Signals ◽  
Automated Vehicle ◽  
Slowing Down ◽  
Use Of Time ◽  
Road Users ◽  
Similar Information ◽  
Vehicle Automation

Since the introduction of automobiles in the early 1900s, communication among elements of the transportation system has been critical for efficiency, safety, and fairness. Communication mechanisms such as signs, lights, and roadway markings were developed to send signals about affordances (i.e., where and when can I go?) and constraints (i.e., where and when can I not go?). In addition, signals among road users such as the hand wave have emerged to communicate similar information. With the introduction of highly automated vehicles, it may be necessary to understand communication signals and apply them to vehicle automation design. However, the question remains: how do we identify the most important interactions that need to be considered for vehicle automation? We propose a method by which we examine the timing of existing vehicle–pedestrian interactions to make conclusions about how the use of time and space can be used as a communication tool. Videos were recorded at representative intersections and crossings in a mid-sized, Midwestern U.S. town. The intersections were chosen based on their potential to elicit interactions with pedestrians and their ubiquity (e.g., four-way stop). Videos were then coded to describe the interactions between vehicles and pedestrians. A focus of this coding was the short stop—stopping before a crosswalk to communicate yielding intent to a pedestrian—which was defined as the time from when the vehicle began to accelerate, after slowing down, to when it reached the crosswalk. Results revealed evidence that vehicle kinematic and spatial cues signal the driver’s intent to other road users.

scholarly journals Identifying Conflict Points for the Examination of Automated Vehicles in the Presence of Vulnerable Road Users

2020 ◽  
Vol 47 ◽  
pp. 609-616
Author(s):  
Anysia Mayerhofer ◽  
Inbal Haas ◽  
Felix Gabriel ◽  
Bernhard Friedrich
Keyword(s):  
Automated Vehicles ◽  
Road Users ◽  
Vulnerable Road Users

Challenges and Opportunities for the Intersection of Vulnerable Road Users (VRU) and Automated Vehicles (AVs)

2018 ◽  
pp. 207-217 ◽  
Author(s):  
Justin M. Owens ◽  
Laura Sandt ◽  
Justin F. Morgan ◽  
Sudharson Sundararajan ◽  
Michael Clamann ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Automated Vehicles ◽  
Road Users ◽  
Challenges And Opportunities ◽  
Vulnerable Road Users

Reducing Conflict Between Vulnerable Road Users and Automated Vehicles

2017 ◽  
pp. 69-75
Author(s):  
Justin M. Owens ◽  
Ryan Greene-Roesel ◽  
Azra Habibovic ◽  
Larry Head ◽  
Andrés Apricio
Keyword(s):  
Automated Vehicles ◽  
Road Users ◽  
Vulnerable Road Users

scholarly journals Vehicle Automation and the Duty to Act

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Noah J. Goodall
Keyword(s):  
Cumulative Risk ◽  
Automated Vehicle ◽  
Road Users ◽  
Small Risk ◽  
Legal Literature ◽  
Legal Responsibilities ◽  
Vehicle Automation ◽  
Level Of Risk

The act of driving always carries some level of risk. With the introduction of vehicle automation, it is probable that computer-driven vehicles will assess this changing level of risk while driving, and make decisions as to the allowable risk for itself and other road users. In certain situations, an automated vehicle may be forced to select whether to expose itself and its passengers to a small risk in order to protect other road users from an equal or greater amount of cumulative risk. In legal literature, this is known as the duty to act. The moral and legal responsibilities of an automated vehicle to act on the behalf of other road users are explored.

scholarly journals Sjálfakandi ökutæki á Íslandi: Viðhorf almennings gagnvart nýjum ferðamáta

2020 ◽  
Vol 26 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arnór B. Elvarsson ◽  
Haraldur Sigþórsson
Keyword(s):  
Underserved Populations ◽  
Mode Choice ◽  
Automated Vehicles ◽  
The Public ◽  
Road Users ◽  
Vulnerable Road Users ◽  
Similar Survey ◽  
Choice Shift ◽  
Demographic Attributes ◽  
Transport Problems

Automated vehicles (AVs) are sometimes considered a silver bullet for contemporary transport problems. For particular scenarios, the technology is believed to have many advantages, such as improving the accessibility of underserved populations. However, the technology may also lead to lesser consequences under other scenarios, with some simulations predicting increase in congestion as the modal split shifts towards automation. In any case, the mode choice shift will not be realised without the public acceptence of AVs. The public opinion towards the technology has not been fully explored, and particularly not in Iceland. This article focuses on the Icelandic results of a cross-national survey. 561 valid responses were recorded, considering attitudinal and stated-mode-choice questions and the responses then analysed as per the sample‘s socio-demographic attributes and compared to a similar survey performed in other european countries. The Icelandic public is generally more positive towards automated vehicles than other Europeans, however still skeptical. At the same time as AV passengers feel more safe than vulnerable road users in the vicinity of an AV, AV passengers also feel more safe with an AV supervisor inside the vehicle. It is uncertain whether people will use the vehicles for pick-up and drop-off of children. Respondents are generally more positive that their goods be transported in AVs instead of people. In spite of this, 70% of respondents were positive that the technology be tried in their neighborhood and 60% of respondents are positive towards trying the vehicles themselves. Further research is suggested in the outlook of the articles, based on indices and further metrics.

scholarly journals Evaluation of wave propagation effects for detection of vulnerable road users

2009 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
pp. 49-53 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Fackelmeier ◽  
C. Morhart ◽  
E. M. Biebl
Keyword(s):  
Open Space ◽  
Road Traffic ◽  
Automotive Electronics ◽  
Driver Assistance ◽  
Driver Assistance Systems ◽  
Additional Information ◽  
Road Users ◽  
Vulnerable Road Users ◽  
Assistance Systems ◽  
Diffraction Effects

Abstract. The protection of vulnerable road users (VRU) is a key issue of future driver assistance systems. An important point is to determine whether a VRU is visually hidden to the driver. This additional information is essential for the driver to prevent an accident or to reduce its severity. We show that by using a transponder attached at the VRU, wavelength dependent diffraction effects can be utilized to distinguish between visible and hidden VRUs. Several diffraction measurements were carried out taking place in open space areas with simple big scattering objects and in different road traffic scenarios demonstrating a reliability of nearly 100%. If future driver assistance systems for detecting VRUs are complemented with automotive electronics which enable distinction between visible and hidden VRUs, accidents can be avoided.

scholarly journals Pedestrians’ perceptions of automated vehicle movements and light-based eHMIs in real world conditions: A test track study

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stefanie Horn ◽  
Ruth Madigan ◽  
Yee Mun Lee ◽  
Fabio Tango ◽  
Natasha Merat
Keyword(s):  
Real World ◽  
Test Track ◽  
Perceived Safety ◽  
Light Band ◽  
Automated Vehicle ◽  
The Road ◽  
Road Users ◽  
Human Machine Interfaces ◽  
Vulnerable Road Users ◽  
New Challenges

The development of increasingly automated vehicles (AVs) is likely to lead to new challenges around how they will interact with other road users. In the future, it is envisaged that AVs, manually driven vehicles, and vulnerable road users such as cyclists and pedestrians will need to share the road environment and interact with one another. This paper presents a test track study, funded by the H2020 interACT project, investigating pedestrians’ reactions towards an AV’s movement patterns and external Human Machine Interfaces (eHMIs). Twenty participants, standing on the side of a test-track road and facing an approaching AV, were asked to raise their arm to indicate: (1) when they could perceive the AV’s eHMI, which consisted of either a Full Light Band (FLB) or a Partial Light Band (PLB); (2) when they perceived the deceleration of the AV (with eHMI vs. no eHMI); and (3) when they felt safe to cross the road in front of the approaching AV (with eHMI vs. no eHMI). Statistical analyses revealed no effects of the presence of an eHMI on the pedestrians’ crossing decision or deceleration perception, but significant differences were found regarding the visibility of the FLB and PLB designs. The PLB design could be perceived at further distances than the FLB design. Both eHMI solutions were generally well-received, and participants provided high ratings of acceptance, perceived safety, and confidence around the AV.

Automated Vehicles & Vulnerable Road Users: Representing the Under-Represented

2020 ◽  
pp. 97-107
Author(s):  
Justin M. Owens ◽  
Michael Clamann ◽  
David Aylor ◽  
Stacy A. Balk ◽  
Jana Lynott ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Automated Vehicles ◽  
Road Users ◽  
Vulnerable Road Users
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