Journal of Korean Society of Transportation ISSN:1229-1366(Print) 2234-4217(Online) 대한교통학회지

Under the road environment, drivers execute communication including hand gesture, aligning of gaze and oral signs to convey awareness of the driver on the presence of pedestrian (communication between the driver and pedestrian). However, in the case of autonomous vehicle, the vehicle needs to execute such communication instead of the driver and it is the responsibility of the vehicle to clearly and intuitively illustrate the actions of the vehicle to the pedestrian. Experiences of the pedestrians under the road environment determine the way the pedestrian feels and responds to the vehicles. Due to such experiences, the vehicle designer needs to design the exterior of the vehicle to be friendly and intuitive, and in compliance with the psychological, sensual and cognitive expectations as well as the learned responses of the pedestrian. Although relevant international studies are being carried out for this purpose, majority of these are case studies on specific passing situations (crossing cross-road and parking lot, etc.). Since Korea is aiming to commercialize completely autonomous driving (Lv. 4) on main road throughout the country by 2027 for the first time in the world, it is urgent to develop communication technology with road user and to enact relevant laws. Accordingly, this study made survey on and presented essential communication situations for road users, and importance of development technology and possibility of development thereof for each situation by reviewing preceding studies and applying design thinking technique. As the results, it was deduced that communication technology needs to be developed and information for caution (warning) and passing (yielding) must be provided for all road users under all road situations. In addition, it was found that there is almost no effect of communication technology in accordance with the intensity of illumination. It was also presented that development of display text / figures to convey intention including caution (warning) and passing (yielding) and the result that projection type is necessary in some of the caution (warning) situations was deduced. The results of this study will be used as basic data for development of objective and rational design standards, and to cope with the international automobile safety standards at the Lv.4 autonomous vehicle stage in the future.