How Intuitive is AR-Based Navigation to Find Virtual Stops in Demand Responsive Transportation? Results from an Explorative User Study

Kurzfassung

In pooled demand responsive transportation (DRT), the utilization of virtual stops (vStops) balances travel convenience and operational efficiency. Users book rides via smartphone applications and are required to walk to the designated pick-up location in a timely manner to board the shuttle. Given that these flexible vStops lack physical cues, it is imperative that a human-machine interface (HMI) provides clear and efficient information to users to reach the vStop. The innovative vStop HMI concept presents navigation information in reference to the street environment through augmented reality (AR) to address this challenge. However, the question arises whether this AR-based HMI is sufficiently intuitive for first time users. Consequently, an explorative user study (N = 44) was conducted in a virtual reality setting, comparing naïve users to those given a detailed explanation of the vStop HMI. The study examined usability, learnability, and workload subjectively, as well as HMI usage behavior in a navigation task objectively. Results revealed no significant differences between the two groups, successfully demonstrating the intuitiveness of the AR-based HMI. Whereas the informed group followed the pathway uniformly, the naïve group also showed deviant behavior. In conclusion, this explorative user study gives practical implications for the implementation of AR-based HMIs in stop-based DRT scenarios, particularly for novice users, contributing to the advancement of future mobility systems.