UX Design for Holistic User Journey of Future Robotaxi

Abstract

In this paper, we report usability issues of riding in a future level 4/5 robotaxi. A human-machine interface (HMI) was partially implemented to simulate user experiences of riding in a future robotaxi. Visual interfaces were shown on large, medium, and small screens with which users could interact. We simulated the future robotaxi using the Wizard of Oz technique. Both high-fidelity digital prototypes and low-fidelity physical prototypes were used to cover vertical scenarios in depth and at the same time give an overall perception of what a driverless taxi would be like. A usability test was conducted for six sessions with a total of nine participants. The results show that the participants constantly sought value to cost. The cost comprises not only how much they pay for the trip, but also how much time and effort they invest to get accustomed to the service. Most of the participants expressed concern about possible edge cases and unexpected malfunctions. A set of essential information should be visible in a consistent location at any time during the trip. In emergency cases, all available interfaces should display synchronized information to show clear options that passengers can choose. The most wanted option was to escape from the vehicle immediately. © 2021, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.