SETTING THE STAGE FOR SELF-DRIVING CARS: Exploration of future autonomous driving experiences

1. SETTING THE STAGE FOR SELF-DRIVING CARS:Exploration of future autonomous driving experiences Ingrid Pettersson ingrid.pettersson@volvocars.com PhD Student Chalmers University of Technology, Design & Human Factors and Volvo Car Corporation, Digital UX

2. Autonomous Cars • Within research, the major benefits of self-driving cars are argued to be safety, convenience, fuel economy and lower emissions (Davila & Nombela, 2012; Rupp & King, 2010; Verberne, Ham, & Midden, 2012) • But…what are the future users’ • Expected values? • Worries? • Activities? • Emotions? • How do we probe into experiences and expectations of what yet does not fully exist?

3. Methods for Researching Future User Experiences? Context of use X • Allowing the user to have a more active role in user studies (examples to be found in Halse, Brandt, Clark & Binder, 2010) • Using materials to trigger imagination and conversation (Brandt & Grunnet, 2000). • Using open designs to stimulate study participants’ fantasy, i.e. not the car as it is today (Ehn & Kyng, 1991). • Using both body and mind, by for example enactment of future usage (Brand & Grunnet2000; Buchenau & Suri, 2000). • Two user studies, A & B, using different approaches Today “Sci-fi” Self-driving car

4. Study A – Drawing and Collaging • Participants engaged in drawing, collaging and interview about autonomous cars • Collaging of car types and cityscape • Qualitative data analysis • 9 participants in Copenhagen

5. Study A – Results • Social implications • Great value of being more social in the car. Requires interior design remake • Six of nine participants wanted traditional exteriors, did not want to “stand out” • Every-day life values • Time management • Freedom • Transition from work/home • Smoothing out the journey’s ups and down • Smarter ways of using resources • Sharing cars • Smart infrastructure and self-driving cars, i.e. smart parking • Trust • Great variety of trust • Fear of break downs • Close surveillance of systems first, eventually letting go • Conclusion • Method worked well, but results mainly on a high-level

6. Study B – “Setting the Stage” • Drawing and enactment • Scenario of taking back control from the car • 9 Participants in Göteborg, Sweden

7. Results: Interaction and metamorphosis • Metamorphosis of the interior: moving steering wheel and seats to enable distancing from driving. Softer sound and lights • Hi-tech solutions such as voice control and screens- Enjoying novelty and being part of a paradigm shift • Keeping a driving information focus point to glance at from time to time

8. Results: The extended living room • A mix between work and relaxation • Seamless transitions between home/car/work • Becoming a living room • Space • Social • Storage • Mood: soft lights and low sounds

9. Results: Trust • From high trust and envisioning calm transitions to driving…to worries of technology unfit to meet human reaction capabilities • Participants OK with taking over in situations with low timing acuteness, otherwise the car is expected to handle the situation (or the worry exceeds the value)

10. Comparison and Conclusions • Some of the values found • Social • Time Management • Relaxation – the new living room • Novelty - Metamorphosis of the car • The use of embodiment and drawing for more in-depth reflections • In concert with later more traditional research. Experience prototypes for experimentation and exploration of body & mind experiences (Buchenau& Suri, 2000)

11. Thank you Ingrid Pettersson ingrid.pettersson@volvocars.com