A qualitative focus groups study to identify how pedestrians perceive the arrival of fully autonomous vehicles

This study explores pedestrian perceptions of fully autonomous vehicles and their acceptance. We organized two focus groups in which participants (7 for each) discussed, firstly, their own behavior when crossing the road in front of a human-driven vehicle and the key factors they considered, as perceived benefits and risks of fully autonomous vehicles. Secondly, the factors that could positively influence their own acceptance of fully autonomous vehicles and their preferred interfaces and behaviors (external human-machine interface) for communicating with the fully autonomous vehicles were discussed. Participants highlighted the importance of driver-related cues, the need for clear information on fully autonomous vehicles behavior and the way in which they will be introduced into the automotive landscape, and they indicated their preference for external human-machine interfaces that signal safe crossing. Concerning the external human-machine interfaces, the participants preferred those that projected a green pedestrian crossing onto the road to indicate that the fully autonomous vehicles would wait for the pedestrian to cross. The findings emphasize pedestrians' concerns and preferences to guide the design of future autonomous vehicles.