Human-Automation Interaction in Automated
Vehicles: An Innovative HMI Design Approach.
The Case of Elderly and Cyclists
Federico Fraboni, Marco De Angelis, David Plesnik, Andrea Altini, Marco Depolo,
Bruna Zani, Gabriele Prati, and Luca Pietrantoni
(
✉
)
Department of Psychology, Alma Mater Studiorum, University of Bologna,
Via Berti Pichat 5, 40126 Bologna, Italy
luca.pietrantoni@unibo.it
Abstract. In recent years, significant progresses have been achieved in auto‐
mated driving technologies and highly Automated Vehicles (AVs) are expected
to become available to end-users within a decade. At the same time, many coun‐
tries around the world are facing a demographic shift toward an aging society.
Level 3 to 4 AVs will allow users to be released from the driving task for extended
periods; however, they will be requested to take back control of the vehicle in
specific situations. In the specific case of older road users, take over request
stations could lead to significant complications in safety as well as mobility.
Furthermore, communication needs to grant safe interactions between AVs and
vulnerable road users, such as cyclists, should be deeply investigated and solu‐
tions should be proposed. This highlights the importance of designing AVs inter‐
faces that are user friendly, safe, adaptable, and accessible for elderly drivers and
for vulnerable road users.
The present study aims at developing and testing an innovative framework
for designing inclusive and adaptive HMIs, both addressing AVs users’ (elderlies)
and other traffic participants (cyclists) basing on the Efficient Driver-Vehicle
Cooperation Model proposed by Kraus et al. [1], integrating driver behavior
models and user state assessment technologies. The model foresees that
successful human-automation cooperation can be understood as the result of a
relationship building process comparable to human relationships. Antecedents of
safe and enjoyable interactions with highly AVs have been assessed and used as
a basis for developing the framework, focusing on the psychological processes
during the initial encounters with a system, in which system features interact with
personality factors in building up beliefs and attitudes about a system affecting
the further usage of the system. The proposed framework is integrating driver
state assessment technologies and knowledge on human behavior to establish
situation appropriate task function allocation between the driver and the vehicle.
Our study is providing insights specific on vulnerable road users (e.g. elderly)
characteristics and needs in designing interfaces.
Keywords: Automated vehicles · HMI adaptation · Elderly users · Cyclists
© Springer International Publishing AG, part of Springer Nature 2018
C. Stephanidis (Ed.): HCII Posters 2018, CCIS 852, pp. 359–366, 2018.
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-92285-0_48