Non-Visual Interfaces to Enable the Accessibility of Highly Automated Vehicles for People with Vision Impairments

高度自动化车辆（HAV）有可能在未来显著改变个人的交通方式。特别是，视力障碍（PVIs）的人可以从HAV中受益匪浅，因为他们将获得自主性和独立性，从而显着改善他们的生活。然而，在学术界和工业界，只有有限的努力，使PVIs使用HAV为他们的独立运输。最初的学术研究通过与PVI进行定性研讨会来研究这一领域，以了解他们在HAV中的需求。这些工作坊均认为私家车司机极有需要了解重型货车周围的交通情况。这种知识通常被称为态势感知，Endsley最初以态势感知模型的形式定义。因此，该项目的主要目标是通过开发基于听觉、触觉和多模态系统评估的界面，同时考虑个人视力，提高HAV对PVIs的情况感知。这些接口应进一步支持PVI在驾驶任务级别与HAV进行交互。该项目还将探讨这些接口是否可以积极影响自驾者建立信任和接受HAV。基于对接口评估的见解，我们进一步寻求开发基于能力的设计指南，为设计师和开发人员提供一个框架，以创建符合PVIs要求和个人能力的接口。该项目有助于解决私人汽车司机在使用高级汽车进行个人交通方面的需求。我们将通过以下方式实现这一目标：（1）增强PVIs的态势感知并提高其理解态势和与HAV交互的能力的界面;（2）基于能力的设计指南;以及（3）支持设计师、开发人员和研究人员创建HAV中PVIs界面的工具。通过开展这些工作，我们使PVIs能够有效，高效和独立地利用HAV满足其个人运输需求。

Highly Automated Vehicles (HAVs) have the potential to change transportation for individuals in the future significantly. Particularly, people with vision impairments (PVIs) can greatly benefit from HAVs, as they will gain autonomy and independence in their mobility, leading to a significant improvement in their lives. However, there are only limited efforts in academia and industry to enable PVIs to use HAVs for their independent transportation yet. Initial academic research looked into this area by conducting qualitative workshops with PVIs to understand their needs inside HAVs. These workshops found a high need for the PVIs to gain knowledge of the HAV’s surrounding traffic situation. This knowledge is commonly referred to as situation awareness, which was initially defined by Endsley in the form of a situation awareness model. Thus, this project’s main goal is enhancing situation awareness in HAVs for PVIs by developing interfaces that build on a systematic evaluation of auditory, haptic, and multi-modalities while considering individual visual acuity. These interfaces should further support PVIs in the interaction with HAVs at the driving task level. The project will also explore if such interfaces can positively affect PVIs’ trust-building and acceptance of HAVs. Based on the insights of the interfaces’ evaluations, we further seek to develop ability-based design guidelines that will provide a framework for designers and developers to create interfaces tailored to the requirements and individual abilities of PVIs. The project contributes to addressing the needs of PVIs in utilizing HAVs for personal transportation. We will achieve this through (1) interfaces that enhance situation awareness for PVIs and improve their ability to comprehend situations and interact with HAVs, (2) ability-based design guidelines, and (3) tools supporting designers, developers, and researchers in creating interfaces for PVIsin HAVs. By undertaking these efforts, we enable PVIs to effectively, efficiently, and independently utilize HAVs for their personal transportation needs.