Children’s Use of eHMI Displays to Guide Road-Crossing Decisions

Autonomous vehicle (AV) technology is advancing at a rapid pace. One concern is how AVs will communicate their intentions to vulnerable road users such as pedestrians. Past work has focused almost exclusively on how adults respond to various types of electronic human-machine interface (eHMI) AV displays. The goal of this investigation is to examine how 8- to 14-year-old children respond to the combination of eHMI display cues and vehicle dynamics cues that signal the intention of an AV to yield to them at a crosswalk. In one condition, the timing of the eHMI cues will be early (i.e., the light will turn green at the time the vehicle begins to decelerate) and in the other condition, the timing of the eHMI cues will be late (i.e., the light will turn green at the time the vehicle comes to a stop). The task for participants is to cross between the two vehicles when they think the tail vehicle will yield to them. The primary measure will be how long children wait before initiating their crossing after the first vehicle passes them. The research team expects that vehicle dynamics and eHMI timing may interact such that there will be less difference in children’s responding to vehicles that slow down gradually vs. abruptly when the eHMI comes on early than when it comes on late. This project will provide new information about how child pedestrians interpret and respond to eHMI information that can be used for designing eHMIs that effectively communicate with pedestrians of all ages.

• Record URL:
  http://safersim.nads-sc.uiowa.edu/research_new.php?sp=113

Language

• English

Project

• Status: Active
• Funding: $80000
• Contract Numbers:

  69A3551747131

• Sponsor Organizations:

  Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology

  University Transportation Centers Program
  Department of Transportation
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Managing Organizations:

  University of Iowa, Iowa City

  National Advanced Driving Simulator, 2401 Oakdale Blvd
  Iowa City, IA  United States  52242-5003
• Performing Organizations:

  University of Iowa

  MacLean Hall
  Iowa City, Iowa  United States  52240
• Principal Investigators:

  Plumert, Jodie

  Kearney, Joseph

  Rector, Kyle

• Start Date: 20210501
• Expected Completion Date: 20220831
• Actual Completion Date: 0
• USDOT Program: University Transportation Centers

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Autonomous vehicles; Children; Decision making; Human machine systems; Interfaces; Pedestrian movement; Pedestrians; Vehicle dynamics
• Subject Areas: Data and Information Technology; Highways; Pedestrians and Bicyclists; Safety and Human Factors; Vehicles and Equipment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01772187
• Record Type: Research project
• Source Agency: Safety Research Using Simulation University Transportation Center (SaferSim)
• Contract Numbers: 69A3551747131
• Files: UTC, RIP
• Created Date: May 24 2021 11:54AM