In the Hub

Aim and goal

As technology for automation, artificial intelligence, and connectivity develops, the role of people in interaction with vehicles is changing. In heavy transport, work environments are being developed where a user, or group of users, will control a number of driverless vehicles with a high level of automation within a hub (e.g., terminal or mine) and in traffic between hubs. This project will explore and demonstrate how people should interact with driverless vehicles in connected transport systems. The goal is to design new models for interaction that contribute to efficient and safe transport within and between hubs.

Challenge

There is currently little knowledge about how interaction design should be designed for self-driving vehicles, especially in cases where the user is not riding in the vehicle. The challenges in this project are partly to understand users' future needs in different types of use cases and partly to develop solutions for interaction design that can work in a real environment.

Solution

The work will focus on a number of use cases where interaction with the vehicles is assumed to be particularly important and where early-stage implementation is possible when introducing driverless heavy vehicles. The work will generate new knowledge and new models for interaction design, as well as concrete design concepts for the use cases. One of the design concepts will also be developed into a more production-ready prototype that will be integrated into a concept car or simulator and evaluated by users.  

Effects

The results of this work will be utilized for implementations in controlled connected transport systems in various forms of hubs and, in the long term, in more complex traffic environments as well. The project will thus contribute to the development of efficient transport systems so the Swedish automotive industry can strengthen its competitiveness in terms of innovative solutions for interaction design with driverless vehicles.