Investigating the Effects of External Communication and Platoon Behavior on Manual Drivers at Highway Access

Automated vehicles are expected to improve traffic safety and efficiency. One approach to achieve this is via platooning, that is, (automated) vehicles can drive behind each other at very close proximity to reduce air resistance. However, this behavior could lead to difficulties in mixed traffic, for example, when manual drivers try to enter a highway. Therefore, we report the results of a within-subject Virtual Reality study (N=29) evaluating different platoon behaviors (single vs. multiple, i.e., four, gaps) and communication strategies (HUD, AR, attached displays). Results show that AR communication reduced mental workload, improved perceived safety, and a single big gap led to the safest merging behavior. Our work helps to incorporate novel behavior enabled by automation into general traffic better.

CCS Concepts: • Human-centered computing → Empirical studies in HCI.