A Low-Cost VR-Based Automated Driving Simulator for Rapid Automotive UI Prototyping

Abstract

Conducting User Experience Design (UXD) research in the context of automated driving today is challenging due to the lack of availability of automated cars that are SAE level 3 or above. This Extended Abstract presents a novel methodological tool for rapid prototyping, as well as testing and evaluation of future automotive interface design ideas. The tool combines Virtual Reality (VR) and real-world driving videos in a flexible Unity3D environment to create a visually realistic and immersive experiences. Using portable VR headsets, these exploratory experiences can be safely created anywhere anytime with little overhead, as shown through this interactive demo. We provide insights of using this method in the context of two exploring two concepts that use novel windscreen technologies and AR applications for level 3 automated cars and above.