Crowdsourcing eHMI Designs: A Participatory Approach to Autonomous Vehicle-Pedestrian Communication

TL;DR

This study employs a participatory, crowd-sourced approach to gather user-generated eHMI design ideas for autonomous vehicles, emphasizing multi-modal, intuitive communication methods to improve pedestrian safety and understanding.

Contribution

It introduces a participatory method for designing eHMIs, highlighting user preferences for multi-modal, adaptable communication features in autonomous vehicle interfaces.

Findings

Participants preferred light-based signals like LEDs and projections.

Designs emphasized multi-modal and directional communication.

Sketches incorporated familiar vehicle elements for intuitiveness.

Abstract

As autonomous vehicles become more integrated into shared human environments, effective communication with road users is essential for ensuring safety. While previous research has focused on developing external Human-Machine Interfaces (eHMIs) to facilitate these interactions, we argue that involving users in the early creative stages can help address key challenges in the development of this technology. To explore this, our study adopts a participatory, crowd-sourced approach to gather user-generated ideas for eHMI designs. Participants were first introduced to fundamental eHMI concepts, equipping them to sketch their own design ideas in response to scenarios with varying levels of perceived risk. An initial pre-study with 29 participants showed that while they actively engaged in the process, there was a need to refine task objectives and encourage deeper reflection. To address these challenges, a follow-up study with 50 participants was conducted. The results revealed a strong preference for autonomous vehicles to communicate their awareness and intentions using lights (LEDs and projections), symbols, and text. Participants' sketches prioritized multi-modal communication, directionality, and adaptability to enhance clarity, consistently integrating familiar vehicle elements to improve intuitiveness.