Self-driving vehicles are the latest innovation in improving personal mobility and road safety by removing arguably error-prone humans from driving-related tasks. Such advances can prove especially beneficial for people who are blind or have low vision who cannot legally operate conventional motor vehicles. Missing from the related literature, we argue, are studies that describe strategies for vehicle design for these persons. We present a case study of the participatory design of a prototype for a self-driving vehicle human-machine interface (HMI) for a graduate-level course on inclusive design and accessible technology. We reflect on the process of working alongside a co-designer, a person with a visual disability, to identify user needs, define design ideas, and produce a low-fidelity prototype for the HMI. This paper may benefit researchers interested in using a similar approach for designing accessible autonomous vehicle technology.
INTRODUCTION
The rise of autonomous vehicles (AVs) may prove to be one of the most significant innovations in personal mobility of the past century. Advances in automated vehicle technology and advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) specifically, may have a significant impact on road safety and a reduction in vehicle accidents (Brinkley et al., 2017; Dearen, 2018). According to the Department of Transportation (DoT), automated vehicles could help reduce road accidents caused by human error by as much as 94% (SAE International, n.d.).
In addition to reducing traffic accidents and saving lives and property, autonomous vehicles may also prove to be of significant value to persons who cannot otherwise operate conventional motor vehicles. AVs may provide the necessary mobility, for instance, to help create new employment opportunities for nearly 40 million Americans with disabilities (Claypool et al., 2017; Guiding Eyes for the Blind, 2019), for instance. Advocates for the visually impaired specifically have expressed how “transformative” this technology can be for those who are blind or have significant low vision (Winter, 2015); persons who cannot otherwise legally operate a motor vehicle.
While autonomous vehicles have the potential to break down transportation
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UTT: A Conceptual Model to Guide the Universal Design of Autonomous Vehicles
Autonomous vehicles (AVs) are closer to becoming a reality in changing the landscape of commercial and
personal transportation. The launch of these vehicles come with the promise of improved road safety, reduced
traffic fatalities, and enhanced mobility. However, there are questions as to whether the design of AVs will
meet the needs of everyone, including people with disabilities and older adults. We argue that there exists
no conceptual model that guide sthe inclusive design of autonomous vehicles to benefit all intended users.
This paper proposes such a model, called the User Transportation-Activity Technology (UTT) model, which
supports the inclusive design of AVs. We present a review of current models of assistive technology design
and their drawbacks followed by an introduction of the UTT model and its application in AV design. This
paper may benefit researchers, designers, and developers of autonomous vehicles interested in addressing
accessible design issues in such vehicles.
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- Award ID(s):
- 1849924
- PAR ID:
- 10328672
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society Annual Meeting
- ISSN:
- 1071-1813
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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