Designing External Displays for Safe AV-HDV Interactions: Conveying Scenarios Decisions of Intelligent Cockpit

In the coexistence phase of autonomous vehicles(AVs) and human-driving vehicles(HDVs), the lack of awareness about the driving status of autonomous vehicles among other traffic participants can increase traffic risks. To address this issue, we propose a solution by designing external displays for AVs to interact their driving intentions and status to other traffic participants. Through interviews with experienced drivers, We collected 12 dual-vehicle interaction hazardous scenarios. Subsequently, we conducted a survey with 124 drivers to evaluate the severity of these hazardous situations and the importance of obtaining relevant information promptly. Based on the survey results, we developed interactive driving scenarios between two vehicles. For these scenarios, we devised two sets of video-based external surface display schemes aimed at conveying the intentions and status of the autonomous vehicles. Subsequently, 22 drivers viewed these videos and imagined themselves interacting with AVs in a mixed traffic environment, providing evaluations of the external display schemes. This research explores potential warning displays for autonomous vehicles and proposes an evaluation methodology considering acceptance, satisfaction, and information comprehension dimensions. The proposed approach aims to facilitate improved interaction between autonomous vehicles and other traffic participants, ultimately enhancing road safety during the coexistence phase of AVs and HDVs.