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The Discomfort of Riding Shotgun - Why Many People Don't Like to Be Co-driver
Sandra Ittner1, Dominik Mühlbacher1, Thomas H Weisswange2
1Wuerzburg Institute for Traffic Sciences GmbH, Veitshöchheim, Germany.
Frontiers in Psychology
|December 14, 2020
Summary
Co-driver discomfort is a widespread issue, affecting 88% of passengers. Uncomfortable driving styles, like close following or speeding, contribute to feelings of exposure and perceived safety risks.
Area of Science:
- Human-Computer Interaction
- Automotive Psychology
- Transportation Safety
Background:
- Passenger comfort is often overlooked in automotive research, with a focus on drivers.
- Previous surveys suggest co-driver discomfort is a significant issue.
- Existing research primarily addresses driver discomfort or automated vehicle systems.
Purpose of the Study:
- Investigate conditions causing co-driver discomfort beyond motion sickness.
- Characterize uncomfortable situations and their negative effects on passengers.
- Develop a cognitive model for co-driver discomfort.
Main Methods:
- Online questionnaire with 119 participants.
- Detailed follow-up interviews with 24 participants.
- Development of a cognitive model based on stress and self-regulation theories.
Main Results:
- 88% of participants reported experiencing co-driver discomfort.
- Driving style (close following, fast driving) identified as a key factor.
- Feelings of exposure and perceived safety criticality contribute to discomfort.
Conclusions:
- Co-driver discomfort is a prevalent problem requiring further research and intervention.
- The proposed cognitive model explains the origins of passenger discomfort.
- Findings can inform the design of human-machine interfaces to reduce passenger discomfort.
Keywords:
autonomous drivingcognitioncomfortfeedback-loop modelinformation processingpassengerrisk assessmentsituation awarenessMore Related Videos
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