Cross-cultural analysis of pedestrian group behaviour influence on crossing decisions in interactions with autonomous vehicles

TL;DR

This study addresses how cultural background and social information from co-located pedestrians shape pedestrian crossing decisions in interactions with autonomous vehicles. It uses a novel immersive VR setup within the CARLA simulator to replicate identical crossing scenarios in Spain and Australia, varying AV braking styles and pedestrian attitudes. Key findings show pedestrians tend to cross with groups, with risk-taking more pronounced among Spanish participants and caution more prevalent among Australians, especially when yield is uncertain; social cues can either facilitate or hinder safe crossing depending on context. The work advances understanding of cross-cultural pedestrian-AV interactions and offers data and methods that could inform HMIs and AV policies to improve safety and acceptance across cultures.

Abstract

Understanding cultural backgrounds is crucial for the seamless integration of autonomous driving into daily life as it ensures that systems are attuned to diverse societal norms and behaviours, enhancing acceptance and safety in varied cultural contexts. In this work, we investigate the impact of co-located pedestrians on crossing behaviour, considering cultural and situational factors. To accomplish this, a full-scale virtual reality (VR) environment was created in the CARLA simulator, enabling the identical experiment to be replicated in both Spain and Australia. Participants (N=30) attempted to cross the road at an urban crosswalk alongside other pedestrians exhibiting conservative to more daring behaviours, while an autonomous vehicle (AV) approached with different driving styles. For the analysis of interactions, we utilized questionnaires and direct measures of the moment when participants entered the lane. Our findings indicate that pedestrians tend to cross the same traffic gap together, even though reckless behaviour by the group reduces confidence and makes the situation perceived as more complex. Australian participants were willing to take fewer risks than Spanish participants, adopting more cautious behaviour when it was uncertain whether the AV would yield.

Figures (5)

• Figure 1: Experiment environment in CARLA. (a) 3D crosswalk scenario. (b) Participant matches the performer avatar. (c) Autonomous vehicle (engine sound, driving style). (d) Ambient sound, lighting and weather conditions. (e) Pedestrians attempting to cross from both sidewalks.
• Figure 2: The three types of braking manoeuvre in the experiment: moderate, emergency and no yielding.
• Figure 3: (a) Pedestrians show a conservative attitude on both sidewalks and wait for the AV to come to a complete stop. (b) Pedestrians show a daring attitude and cross before the AV starts braking.
• Figure 4: Example of interaction between pedestrian and virtual AV with other pedestrians present: (i) Participant starts with their back to the crosswalk and hears a beep to turn around. (ii) Participant establishes visual contact with the AV and assesses the situation. (iii) Participant enters the lane together with the rest of the pedestrians, defining the crossing event. (iv) Participant crosses the road.
• Figure 5: Box-plots of the pedestrian-AV distances at the crossing event. Performance of Spanish (ALC) and Australian (SYD) participants.