AUTHOR=Jayaraman Suresh Kumaar , Creech Chandler , Tilbury Dawn M. , Yang X. Jessie , Pradhan Anuj K. , Tsui Katherine M. , Robert Lionel P. 

TITLE=Pedestrian Trust in Automated Vehicles: Role of Traffic Signal and AV Driving Behavior

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Robotics and AI

VOLUME=Volume 6 - 2019

YEAR=2019

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/robotics-and-ai/articles/10.3389/frobt.2019.00117

DOI=10.3389/frobt.2019.00117

ISSN=2296-9144

ABSTRACT=Pedestrians’ acceptance of automated vehicles (AVs) depends on their trust in the AVs. We
developed a model to promote pedestrians’ trust in AVs through implicit communications. To
empirically verify this model, we conducted a human subject study with 30 participants in a virtual
reality environment. The study manipulated two factors: AV driving behavior (defensive, normal,
and aggressive) and the traffic situation (signalized and unsignalized crossing). Pedestrians’ trust
in AVs was influenced by AV driving behavior as well as the condition/presence of a signal light.
The impact of the AV’s driving behavior on trust in the AV was dependent on the presence of a
signal light. There were also strong correlations between trust and pedestrian gaze at certain
areas/objects. We also present implications for research and design.