To pass or not to pass: a field experiment on human values in interactions with automated vehicles

Josephine Halama; Julius Alexander Knittel; Stefan Brandenburg

doi:10.55329/lsoi1213

Authors

Josephine Halama Chemnitz University of Technology, Germany https://orcid.org/0009-0009-8156-9787
Julius Alexander Knittel Chemnitz University of Technology, Germany https://orcid.org/0009-0003-8059-8160
Stefan Brandenburg Chemnitz University of Technology, Germany https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7628-5247

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.55329/lsoi1213

Keywords:

autonomous driving, cyclist, pedestrian, value sensitive design, vulnerable road users (VRUs)

Abstract

Vulnerable road users (VRUs), such as pedestrians and cyclists, are at high risk in road traffic, accounting for more than half of all global traffic fatalities. Ensuring safe interactions with highly automated vehicles (AVs) requires understanding and predicting VRUs' behaviour. This study investigated the relevance and predictive role of human values alongside environmental factors in real-world VRU-AV interactions. In a field experiment using a Wizard-of-Oz paradigm, 28 pedestrians and 29 cyclists interacted with an oncoming vehicle in a space-sharing scenario. Human values were assessed both qualitatively and quantitatively, while distance to the vehicle and driving mode (AV vs. manually driven) were manipulated. Results show that numerous human values (e.g. comprehensibility, legal compliance, self-efficacy, relaxedness) were rated as highly relevant, but only values related to relaxed interaction significantly predicted pedestrians' behaviour. Distance predicted interaction behaviour for VRU groups, whereas driving mode had no effect. Overall, the findings highlight the importance of considering both environmental factors and human values. The study demonstrates that values provide a broader perspective for understanding VRU behaviour and informing the design of safe, trustworthy, and acceptable VRU-AV interactions.

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Author Biographies

Josephine Halama, Chemnitz University of Technology, Germany

Josephine Halama studied psychology at the Chemnitz University of Technology. Since 2016, she has been a research associate at the professorship for Cognitive Psychology and Human Factors. In 2026, she obtained her PhD from Chemnitz University of Technology. In her research as an engineering psychologist, she applies theoretical frameworks such as value sensitive design, user-centered design and privacy by design in different areas, e.g. automated driving, mobile applications or cookie-consent pop-ups.

CRediT contribution: Conceptualization, Data curation, Formal analysis, Investigation, Methodology, Project administration, Visualization, Writing—original draft, Writing—review & editing.

Julius Alexander Knittel, Chemnitz University of Technology, Germany

Julius Alexander Knittel is pursuing a Bachelor's degree in Sensors and Cognitive Psychology at the Chemnitz University of Technology. He has worked as a student research assistant at the professorship for Cognitive Psychology and Human Factors. In his recent internship, his research focused on the behaviour of vulnerable road users in their interaction with automated vehicles.

CRediT contribution: Data curation, Formal analysis, Writing—original draft, Writing—review & editing.

Stefan Brandenburg, Chemnitz University of Technology, Germany

Professor Stefan Brandenburg studied Psychology and Philosophy at Chemnitz University of Technology, Germany, and the University of Oklahoma, OK, USA. He obtained his PhD from Technische Universität Berlin in Cognitive Ergonomics in 2014. Since 2023, he has been Professor of Cognitive Psychology and Human Factors at Chemnitz University of Technology, Germany. His research topics include the design of human-vehicle interactions for automated and intelligent vehicles, usability and user experience design, and ethical aspects of technology.

CRediT contribution: Conceptualization, Methodology, Project administration, Resources, Supervision, Writing—original draft, Writing—review & editing.

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