Distance-Dependent eHMIs for the Interaction Between Automated Vehicles and Pedestrians

External human-machine interfaces (eHMIs) support automated vehicles (AVs) in interacting with vulnerable road users such as pedestrians. While related work investigated various eHMIs concepts, these concepts communicate their message in one go at a single point in time. There are no empirical insights yet whether distance-dependent multi-step information that provides additional context as the vehicle approaches a pedestrian can increase the user experience. We conducted a video-based study (N = 24) with an eHMI concept that offers pedestrians information about the vehicle’s intent without providing any further context information, and compared it with two novel eHMI concepts that provide additional information when approaching the pedestrian. Results show that additional distance-based information on eHMIs for yielding vehicles enhances pedestrians’ comprehension of the vehicle’s intention and increases their willingness to cross. This insight posits the importance of distance-dependent information in the development of eHMIs to enhance the usability, acceptance, and safety of AVs.