https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8058-9358
This special issue is dedicated to the still young research area of human-computer interaction in autonomous vehicles and mobility. The application area of mobility was chosen so broadly because from the user’s point of view all mobility offers and mobility services are connected into one mobility system. The submitted articles clearly show that the current focus of research is on autonomous vehicles. It is therefore all the more welcome that one contribution focuses on the orientation of the pedestrian as a research topic and another on the acceptance of new technologies by the designers of entire mobility systems.
1. Mobility systems from the traveler’s perspective
The traveler’s perspective on the mobility system is reflected in the specific travel chain. This ranges from the planning of the journey, footpaths, and the use of various mobility offers, such as the bus or an autonomous vehicle, to arriving at the destination. The travel chain is determined by touch points at which the travelers come into contact with the mobility system.
The touch points can be, e.g.,, navigation services, which someone uses as a pedestrian, but also the interaction with an autonomous vehicle. shows an example of a travel chain in which the traveler walks, takes a bus, and later drives an autonomous vehicle.
Figure 1. Examples for touch points in the user’s travel chain
The ergonomic quality of the touch points influence the Mobility Experience (MX).Footnote1
MX can be understood as the sum of all experiences of the traveler with the touch points within the mobility system. This gives MX a holistic and subjective character.
In this Special Issue, we will mainly deal with the touch point “autonomous vehicles,” since autonomous vehicles make previously unknown requirements to the driver. An example of this is the take over, where the driver must quickly understand the entire situation and take full responsibility for the vehicle. This background should help to understand the presented research results in the overall context of the mobility system.
2. The selected papers
2.1. User experience & usability of driving: A bibliometric analysis of 2000–2019
The topic area “UX and usability of driving” has established itself over the last two decades. The significance of UX of Driving can best be understood through its international scientific research. Jiahao Sun and her coauthors have qualitatively evaluated over 2498 publications from the Web of Science (WoS). They show the connections between the worldwide researchers as well as the main research topics, such as cognitive load, situation awareness, and take over.
2.2. How to increase automated vehicles’ acceptance through in-vehicle interaction design: A review
User acceptance is a key success factor for the introduction of automated driving. Henrik Detjen and his coauthors therefore raise the research question: What is the system design space for future in-car human-vehicle interaction? The authors extract elements of the design space from meta studies that are fundamental for the Interaction Design Space of automated vehicles. They also define seven research fields that are relevant for the acceptance of automated driving.
2.3. Comfort or not? Automated driving style and user characteristics causing human discomfort in automated driving
Automated driving style (ADS) should be comfortable for the user. Andre Dettmann and his coauthors analyze seven major studies. They describe the determining factors on the part of the automated vehicle and on the part of the user, whose interaction influences the experience of comfort.
2.4. How people perceive and expect safety in autonomous vehicles: An empirical study for risk sensitivity and risk-related feelings
The user’s need for safety is highlighted as central in the above-mentioned studies. Cong Chen and his coauthors have conducted an empirical study on risk perception. They conclude that perceived safety is influenced by the feelings of worry more than dread.
2.5. Take over gradually in conditional automated driving: The effect of two-stage warning systems on situation awareness, driving stress, takeover performance, and acceptance
In automated driving, the ergonomic design of the takeover is one of the biggest challenges, since situation awareness must be created rapidly and driving decisions must be made. Shu Maa, Wei Zhang, et al. addressed the research question of how to design a warning system that supports high acceptance as well as high take over performance.
2.6. Warning apps for road safety – a technological and economical perspective for autonomous driving – the warning task in the transition from human driver to automated driving
Warning applications are becoming more and more important with the increasing possibilities of sensor technology. They can support the driver during the transition to automated driving. Raphaela Pagany and her coauthors analyzed the design principles of existing warning applications and the underlying business models. A supplementary case study of an application, that warns of wildlife crossing the road, had the goal of analyzing the effectiveness and potential of warning applications.
2.7. From wayfinding model to future context-based adaptation of HCI in urban mobility for pedestrians with active navigation needs
Pedestrians are an essential part of mobility systems. Especially in expanding cities, navigation is becoming more and more challenging for pedestrians as well. Christophe Kolski and his coauthors develop a new model for the cognitive process of wayfinding based on a literature study. The findings from the analytical and empirical studies will be condensed into design guidelines for pedestrian navigation systems.
2.8. Distrust as a hazard for future sustainable mobility planning. Rethinking employees’ vulnerability when introducing new information and communication technologies in local authorities
Acceptance does not only concern the immediate acceptance of a new technology in the mobility system by the user, but also the preliminary acceptance of the mobility planners. These create the prerequisites for a user-centered design of the mobility system. Annemarie Nienaber and her coauthors examine the question of what causes the lack of acceptance of new mobility technologies for local decision makers. Guidelines for the introduction of new technologies for mobility systems are derived from the studies.
3. Outlook
The papers show the diversity of HCI research in the field of autonomous vehicle and mobility. The studies of the international scientists reflect the common concern to develop new user-centered mobility technologies and to derive first guidelines. I hope that this will be an inspiration for research and practice.
Acknowledgments
It was a very special experience to bring together the knowledge from all over the world about HCI in Autonomous vehicle and Mobility in this special issue. Gavriel Salvendy had the idea to publish this special issue. Heidi Krömker thanks Gavriel Salvendy from the deepest of her heart for this opportunity and all the other many chances he has opened up in her life.
Special thanks also go to Constantine Stephanides for his all-encompassing and always very gracious support in producing the Special Issue.
Additional information
Notes on contributors
Heidi Krömker
Heidi Krömker is Director of the Institute of Media Technology at the Technische Universität Ilmenau and holds a professorship for “Human-Technology Interaction” with the research focus “User-centered Mobility Information”. She is Program Chair of the HCI International affiliated conference MobiTAS: International Conference on HCI in Mobility, Transport and Automotive Systems.
Cindy Mayas
Cindy Mayas founded u.works GmbH as a spin-off of Technische Universität Ilmenau to improve the integration of usability engineering methods in development processes. She has been working as a scientific assistant and focussed her research on the development of user-centered mobility information and services for various user groups.
Notes
1. Wienken, T. and Krömker, H. (2018). Designing for mobility experience-toward an understanding. Mobilität & Kommunikation. Winterwork, Borsdorf.