Communication between automated vehicles and pedestrians using Augmented Reality (AR)

Abstract

When introducing connected and automated vehicles (CAVs) into the existing mobility and transport system, special attention must be paid to the interaction of CAVs with surrounding other road users (ORU). In order to meet this challenge, various solutions have been developed in the field of external human-machine interface (eHMI) in recent years. However, these are often visual eHMIs attached to the body of a CAV. The perceptibility of eHMIs is highly dependent on the situation (e.g. lighting conditions, visibility, distance to the CAV) and signals can hardly be adapted to the needs or wishes of the respective ORU (e.g., color blindness). The present study investigates a new approach that enables communication between CAVs and ORUs using augmented reality (AR). In an online video study, 94 participants evaluated different AR design variants for communication with a CAV from the perspective of a pedestrian. The subjective willingness to cross and subjects' perceptions regarding traffic safety were collected. The results show the great potential of an augmented reality eHMI design.