I researched the relationship between passengers and autonomous vehicles (AV) in the context of AV services (robo-taxis and robo-shuttles) for the Seamless Autonomous Mobility project from Nissan, in conjunction with the NASA AMES Research Center in Mountain View, CA.
I ran several studies of contextual observation with video support in train stations around Sunnyvale and Mountain View, CA. With the help of expert Anthropologists and video-researchers from the NRC-SV, I then observed and analysed the traits and behaviours of hundreds of passengers interacting with services like Uber, Lyft, local company shuttles and public transportations.
I also ran a passenger- and driver-oriented moderated user research interviewing several passengers of the same transportation services mentioned before, and analysing the results to define specific needs and requirements for the passenger-vehicle-driver interaction.
After analysing hundreds of videos showing the passenger-driver-vehicle interactions, I created a behavioural framework with specific moments, interactions and touchpoints common to most of the observations. I then prepared several videos that described in detail examples of these specific moments, interactions and touchpoints.
This research will inform and define the interaction design between passengers and vehicles for robo-taxi and robo-shuttle services, as well as further services for the Seamless Autonomous Mobility project from Nissan.
(All work is under non-disclosure agreements)
