About this presentation Some basics about human (or interpersonal) - - PDF document

Automated Driving and the effects on communication in road traffic

Karin Ausserer & Ralf Risser

About this presentation

• Some basics about human (or interpersonal)

communication

• Short information about a study on automated

driving and the effects on communication in road traffic with a special focus on VRU

• Some selected results of expert interviews
• Some questions to be tackled in oncoming

research

What is communication?

= act and react = observe and be observed

• ften an automatic & unreflected process

“One cannot not communicate” (Watzlawik 1969)

Signals

Different ways to communicate:

Eye contact, hand signals, head movements, facial expressions, gestures, …. The same signals may have different functions and meanings depending on the context

The meaning of signals

Hand signals by walkers might mean

• I stop
• I will move on
• thank you
• …

With only slight differences in body posture, Depending on the context

Body language

Head movements and posture might stand for

• I will move on
• I will stop
• I have priority
• …

As well, without moving your hands One could write a dictionary

Study Approach

• Literature study
• 15 expert interviews (all
• ver Europe)
• Traffic observation in

public spaces

• 2 Focus Group

Interviews

• Online expert survey

(n= 50)

What did the experts say

• 15 expert interviews (thinking)

How will communication change?

“Automation is at the moment all about car drivers…you have to ensure that there are benefits or at least no threats to other groups.”

(Psychologist, Czech Republic)

Experts` predictions

• 78%: human

communication will become less important

• 58%: automated

cars will be able to communicate with vulnerable road users

• 44%: cars will be

able to decode postures and gestures of vulnerable road users

Effects according to experts

Majority of experts say:

• traffic safety will increase (for healthy adults) due to

automation

• children and very old people will have more problems
• standardisation of digital communication important for

traffic safety: e.g. light signals that indicate that car will stop at pedestrian crossing

• pedestrians to be equipped with chips in order to be

detected by automated cars? Majority not desirable!

• strict separation of pedestrians (e.g. fences) not desirable

either but to be considered for traffic safety reasons

Challenges & open questions

• Labelling: Is it necessary to label automated cars?
• Information: What kind of information should be

given? How to transfer information?

• Education: How are road users educated with

respect to automated cars?

• Indicators: What kind of indicators are used to

measure success or undesirable developments?

• Standards: What kind of standards should be

predefined?

Thank you for your attention

Contact: Karin Ausserer FACTUM OG 1210 Wien, Hermann Bahr Straße 9/11 E-Mail:

ralf.risser@factum.at