Faurecia, and Stanford University’s Center for Design Research, will share autonomous car research at the Connected Car Expo during the Los Angeles Auto Show.
There are still problems with autonmous cars.
People don’t feel secure and safe while the car is doing the driving. Increased Situation Awareness helps drivers of autonomous feel confidence and trust in the system. Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS) warnings offer important information on what the vehicle is doing when used properly. However, drivers report that they often find the use and interface of these systems complicated and sometimes turn them off, reducing their benefit1.
Keeping the driver alert and ready for a transfer of control is also a critical issue that was identified. Providing information in new ways that easily attract attention and effectively increase the driver’s Situation Awareness must be explored.
If the “driver can do other things beside driving, such as working, socializing, and eating then there is a need for a more flexible interior while preserving safety.
Drivers’ get “see-sickness”. Studies show that self-driving can cause nausea. Faurecia is now in active development around innovations to mitigate or avoid the onset of these symptoms.
Faurecia and Stanford believe these and other considerations will take an increasingly important role in the future development of autonomous transportation, with more attention placed on what’s happening inside the vehicle.
Dr. David Sirkin of the Stanford Center for Design Research and Matthew Benson of Faurecia’s xWorks innovation center will present their research “When Driving Becomes the Distraction: Putting the Occupant Back in the Mobility Conversation” at the Connected Car Expo on November 17.
At the Connected Car Expo, Faurecia will discuss potential technology approaches to the interior systems of an autonomous vehicle. Faurecia will also demonstrate Active Wellness, a seating system developed to improve the comfort and well-being of vehicle occupants that could also help overcome the potential emotional and biological issues identified through the Faurecia-Stanford research.
Active Wellness is the first vehicle seating system that detects a driver’s stress levels and other physical responses by measuring heart and breathing patterns through sensors integrated into the seat. Based on these measurements, the system can initiate countermeasures – for example, employing a specific massage therapy or increased seating ventilation – to restore the driver to an improved state of comfort. Ultimately, Active Wellness may reduce stress among connected or autonomous car occupants.
David Sirkin is a Postdoctoral Scholar at Stanford University’s Center for Design Research, where his research focuses on physical interaction design and ubiquitous computing, particularly interactions between humans and robotic everyday objects, and autonomous cars and their interfaces. He is also a Lecturer in Stanford’s Department of Electrical Engineering, where he teaches mechatronics and interactive device design.
Matthew Benson leads Faurecia’s Autonomous Experience Initiative. He is located within Faurecia’s Westworks Innovation Center in Holland, Michigan, a cross-functional product & business incubator focusing on strategic innovation and venturing for the automotive industry. Broadly, Matt’s work is focused on aligning emerging technologies and business models with opportunities to address the future needs of society and end users.
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