Teresa Schmidt

From V2X to Control2Trust

Beyond the increasing quality of car technology in the last decade, road and fast-paced city traffic in metropolises still impose high accident rates. Mostly, drivers’ inattentiveness, tiredness or just bad driving abilities are responsible for safety risks. Novel developments such as the combination of invehicle systems and vehicle sensors in the environment could lower these risks. While on the one hand the V2X-technologies bare a huge potential for safety and efficiency, on the other hand, the missing trust and concerns about privacy could represent major obstacles for a successful implementation. Hence, historically, trust in new technology is a major issue, which need to be integrated into the technological development. The perceived trust and control in the field of V2X-technology, with a focal point on automated driving, is the main research focus. Using a quantitative approach, users were examined regarding their perception of V2X-technologies. Results reveal an obvious reluctance towards V2X-technologies, independent of user diversity. Data disclosure of personal data is mostly denied homogeneously. Findings hint at a considerable need for a sensitive and individually tailored information and communication strategy regarding V2X-technology.

Safety First? - V2X – Percived Benefits, Barriers and Trade-offs of Automated Driving

Today, we are on the edge of increasing population and urbanization with an increasing portion of older people. These far-reaching societal developments necessitate novel mobility infrastructure concepts, in which a diverse population and a higher population density are considered. Safety in traffic situations is one of the most important and needs to be taken into account. A highly potent approach is to combine in-vehicle systems and vehicle sensors. Whereby the public perception and user acceptance of V2X-technology in general is insufficiently explored. Using a two-tier approach, in which both qualitative and quantitative data are combined, this research gains insights into human perceptions of V2X-technology, plausible trade-offs and basic fears. Results show safety as an important factor which should be included in further future

User Diverse Privacy Requirements for V2X-Technology - Quantitative Research on Context-based Privacy Aspects

The paper will show, how different types of users are evaluating privacy and data security differently according to contextual differentiating traffic situations. The focus is hereby on an analysis of user types to see, if general attributes towards data capture can be identified. User requirements are investigated in age, gender, experience with driver assistance systems and technical affinity. Several significant effects like the influence of prior experience increasing the willingness to share data in an traffic optimizing scenario could be revealed. But results show also an undeniable reluctance towards sharing private data with other traffic participants or companies. Traffic management such as police or the infrastructure itself are however entrusted with various personal information and data.

Watch Out! - User-Centered Feedback Design for a V2X-Smartphone App.

Mobility is a fast developing, technological and simultaneously human field of research. V2X-technology is one major contributor that will influence the behavior, efficiency and safety of traffic participants. To include all participating members of traffic, we developed a V2X-smartphone application to empower vulnerable road user to be part of the technological integration. With a two-tiered research approach, we focused on both, the iconography and the feedback design of that application. One key finding of the presented work is a clear recommendation of combined features (color, size and geometrical form) for rear-end collision scenarios. The article concludes with practical recommendations that facilitate visualization-varieties from a users’ perspective.

Well Worth a Detour?—Users’ Preferences Regarding the Attributes of Fast-Charging Infrastructure for Electromobility

The spread of electric vehicles can be a partial solution for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, which are a major challenge of modern industrial nations. However, the limited ranges and the fragmentary charging infrastructure are currently impediments to adoption. To develop a need-based fast-charging network users’ requirements on preferred charging locations have to be factored in. Therefore, the present study aimed at quantifying users’ preferences regarding the fast-charging infrastructure and identifying possible trade-offs by using conjoint-analysis. Both current and potential battery electric vehicle users were addressed through an online questionnaire (N = 283). It was revealed that the waiting time for an available charging station, the necessary detour and the charging costs are the most important attributes for the selection of charging locations, whereas possible on-site activities to bridge the charging time were less important. While the attributes’ importance was largely independent from trip length, participants’ BEV experience contributed significantly to found variance.

What to Expect of Automated Driving: Expectations and Anticipation of System Behavior

A realistic view on what new technology can or cannot handle safely should enhance the interaction of driver and technology from first activation on. Wrong assumptions on how technology functions might result in critical driving situations or prevent the activation of an otherwise useful system. Addressing different forms of information given to a driver, a two-tiered research approach was conducted. A focus group study (N = 11) on users concerns regarding automated driving revealed the need of information provided to users to gain an understanding of the function. Further, the usefulness of specific initial information to enhance prediction of system behavior in selected driving situations was focused on in an online survey (N = 108). The results are discussed with regard to further use in behavioral studies on take-over anticipation and intention to use automated systems.

Privacy and initial information in automated driving — Evaluation of information demands and data sharing concerns

This paper presents the results of an online questionnaire (N=130) focusing on the impact of initial information for novel systems in two different automation levels. Willingness to share data and privacy concerns were compared between partial and conditional automation. With initial information on system limits manipulated between participants, differences in a priori attitudes and information relevance were analyzed. General attitude towards automation was positive. Willingness to share data when using automation was independent of ADAS experience and automation level. All driver-related data were not considered as sharable. Information relevance was highest for information on the anticipation of take-over situations, with information on certainty of successful situation management being significantly more important if system limits were unspecific. Results provide input for studies analyzing the influence of initial information and online information on take-over performance as well as on willingness to share data when receiving higher levels of automation in return.

Range Makes All the Difference? Weighing up Range, Charging Time and Fast-Charging Network Density as Key Drivers for the Acceptance of Battery Electric Vehicles

Electric vehicles are currently seen as the most promising approach for the mobility sector to do it’s bit for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. Although, there are still impediments to adoption, which may partly be overcome by a fast charging infrastructure that enables long-haul trips with battery electric vehicles (BEV). The presented work aims at weighing up user specific parameters of a charging infrastructure (range, charging time, network density, location) to understand public acceptance and reflect advice for planning a needs-based fast-charging network. Using an online questionnaire, 176 participants (users and non-users of BEVs) were addressed in a choice-based conjoint approach. Charging time emerged to be the most influential factor, followed by driving range and charging locations. Significant differences were found between BEV-users and non-users, with BEV-users putting more emphasis on the charging locations and less on the range.

Fast-Charging Stations or Conventional Gas Stations: Same Difference? - Variations of Preferences and Requirements

A need-based fast-charging network for battery electric vehicles provides an opportunity to remove widespread impediments to adoption and thereby increase market penetration of electromobility. In that regard, it is crucial to know, whether experience with gas station planning, regarding position and business models, can easily be transferred to charging contexts. A large questionnaire study (N = 320) was conducted to evaluate potential commonalities and differences between conventional gas and novel fast-charging stations and provided on-site services. Therefore, both BEV users and drivers of internal combustion engine vehicles were questioned. It was revealed that most requirements for gas stations are transferable to charging stations, but brands lose importance in charging context. Payment preferences shift from payment by card and cash to fully automated car-based processes. It was also shown that even people without charging experience clearly differ between gas and charging stations and their requirements for charging stations converge towards BEV users’ views.

Share to Protect

Currently, V2X-technology is a highly prominent research topic. The numerous advantages, possible applications and development opportunities of this intelligent technology connection into everywhere traffic situations encourage research associations worldwide to work together. Main goals are the reduction of traffic accidents, optimization and increase of energy efficiency and formation of a dense information network. However, without the acceptance of the technology from the users’ side, the needed data and information may not be provided. In order to understand the users’ attitude towards privacy and data security, the present study focuses the willingness to share data depending on different traffic situations. Using an empirical research approach, it can be stated, that users tend to be more willing to share (different types of) data to reduce the probability of a severe event. Although the necessity is transported, a general rejection of transferring (any kind of) data could be detected.