Effects of visual factors during automated driving of mobility scooters on user comfort: An exploratory simulator study. (August 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Gwak, Jongseong; Yoshitake, Hiroshi; Shino, Motoki
• Is Part Of: Transportation research. Volume 81(2022)
• Page Start: 608
• Page End: 621
• Publication Date: 2021-08
• Subjects: Automated driving -- Mobility scooter -- User comfort -- Visual behaviour -- Physiological response; Automobile drivers -- Psychology -- Periodicals; Automobile driving -- Psychological aspects -- Periodicals; Transportation -- Psychological aspects -- Periodicals; 629.283019
• DOI: 10.1016/j.trf.2021.07.011
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1369-8478

Abstract

Highlights: User comfort during the automated driving of mobility scooters was investigated. Pedestrian density significantly affects the visual behaviors and valence of users. High peripheral pedestrian density can cause the deactivation of visual processing. The assessment of the visual behaviors is key for the improvement of user comfort. Abstract: An automated mobility scooter is expected to provide convenient and safe transportation for users in their living area. However, there is limited research on user comfort compared to that on user safety for the automated driving of mobility scooters. Because the user does not perform driving tasks in automated driving, the visual information from the peripheral environment and visual behavior is expected to closely affect the psychological comfort of the user. This study clarifies the effects of factors related to the automated driving of mobility scooters and the peripheral environment on the visual behavior and psychological comfort of the user. Effects of driving velocity and pedestrian density on the visual behavior and psychophysiological responses of users were investigated via a driving simulator. The results showed that automated driving in an environment with a high pedestrian density can result in a decrease in fixation duration, deactivation of visual processing, sympathetic activation, and feeling of negative emotion. This implies that the assessment of visual behaviors of users is important for the design of automated mobility scooters to improve user comfort.