Equipping Vehicles with Novel eHMIs Potentially Changes How Pedestrians Interact with Vehicles Without eHMIs

Research output: Contribution to book/conference proceedings/anthology/reportConference contributionContributedpeer-review

Contributors

Abstract

Over the last years, there has been a lively discussion whether (automated) vehicles should be equipped with novel external human-machine-interfaces (eHMIs) in order to facilitate communication with nearby vulnerable road users. This exploratory study investigated whether the introduction of eHMI-equipped vehicles to public traffic potentially influences how pedestrians interact with vehicles without eHMIs. To that goal, our participants specified their willingness to cross in front of vehicles that were either equipped with a frontal brake light eHMI or not in a video-based experiment. Between groups, the quota of eHMI-equipped vehicles in simulated traffic was varied. Our findings show that the quota of vehicles with an eHMI did indeed influence street crossing willingness in front of yielding as well as non-yielding vehicles without an eHMI. Notably, the magnitude and direction of the effect was dependent on the distance between vehicle and pedestrian. Future research on eHMIs should take potential unintended side effects of eHMIs into account.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publication2023 IEEE 26th International Conference on Intelligent Transportation Systems, ITSC 2023
PublisherInstitute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc.
Pages602-607
Number of pages6
ISBN (electronic)9798350399462
Publication statusPublished - 2023
Peer-reviewedYes

Publication series

SeriesIEEE Conference on Intelligent Transportation Systems, Proceedings, ITSC
ISSN2153-0009

Conference

Title26th IEEE International Conference on Intelligent Transportation Systems, ITSC 2023
Duration24 - 28 September 2023
CityBilbao
CountrySpain

External IDs

ORCID /0000-0003-3162-9656/work/158767377
ORCID /0000-0002-1751-3342/work/158767654