Cross-cultural analysis of pedestrian group behaviour influence on crossing decisions in interactions with autonomous vehicles

TL;DR

This study examines how cultural backgrounds influence pedestrian crossing decisions in interactions with autonomous vehicles using a VR environment in Spain and Australia, revealing cultural differences in risk-taking and group behaviour.

Contribution

It introduces a cross-cultural VR-based experimental framework to analyze pedestrian-AV interactions, highlighting cultural impacts on crossing behaviour and risk perception.

Findings

Australian pedestrians are more cautious than Spanish pedestrians.

Reckless group behaviour decreases confidence and increases perceived complexity.

Pedestrians tend to cross together despite varying risk levels.

Abstract

Understanding cultural backgrounds is crucial for the seamless integration of autonomous driving into daily life as it ensures that systems are attuned to diverse societal norms and behaviours, enhancing acceptance and safety in varied cultural contexts. In this work, we investigate the impact of co-located pedestrians on crossing behaviour, considering cultural and situational factors. To accomplish this, a full-scale virtual reality (VR) environment was created in the CARLA simulator, enabling the identical experiment to be replicated in both Spain and Australia. Participants (N=30) attempted to cross the road at an urban crosswalk alongside other pedestrians exhibiting conservative to more daring behaviours, while an autonomous vehicle (AV) approached with different driving styles. For the analysis of interactions, we utilized questionnaires and direct measures of the moment when participants entered the lane. Our findings indicate that pedestrians tend to cross the same traffic gap together, even though reckless behaviour by the group reduces confidence and makes the situation perceived as more complex. Australian participants were willing to take fewer risks than Spanish participants, adopting more cautious behaviour when it was uncertain whether the AV would yield.