Vehicle-Embedded Vibrotactile Haptic Feedback for Improved Driving Safety in Power Wheelchairs

Power wheelchair users often face challenges in safe navigation, especially when reversing or operating with limited visual scanning. Existing feedback systems, including joystick force feedback and wearable vibrotactile devices, suffer from low information fidelity and usability issues. This research presents a novel vehicle-embedded vibrotactile haptic feedback system integrated into the cushion, armrests, and backrest, employing ultrasonic and infrared sensors to detect obstacles and deliver spatially mapped vibration cues. Two research questions are addressed: (Q1) whether embedded haptic feedback significantly improves driving safety in reverse and blind-spot conditions, and (Q2) how the availability of visual feedback affects user performance and experience. To answer these questions, we conducted the primary study with nine healthy participants and included a single case study involving a visually impaired user. The results demonstrated a significant reduction in collisions under visual constraints ( ${p} =0.0313$ ) and showed that effective navigation was achievable without prior training. These findings suggest that vehicle-embedded vibrotactile feedback improves situational awareness and driving safety for power wheelchair users, potentially leading to increased confidence and independence in real-world environments.