To achieve this, it models the behaviour of different automated vehicle “drivers” & prognoses acceptance for several automated driving scenarios, develops specialized training tools, content, optimized HMI for “driver”-vehicle handovers, CEA and MCA studies for selection of most favorable automated functions realisation and demonstrate them in 12 Pilots across Europe. Pilots will cover all automated transportation modes (Automated car, PTW, truck, bus, minibus, rail, workboat and drones) and involve driving/riding/rail simulators, VR/AR simulation toolkits, test tracks and real-world environments, in which over 1000 AV drivers/passengers, 200 AV operators and 20.000 involved citizens experience automation.

Today’s vehicles – in all modes of transport – are becoming increasingly connected and cooperative, as well as automated. This raises a number of issues about the role of the “driver” (or operator, rider, pilot, captain) in such vehicles (cars, trucks, powered-two-wheelers, trains, ships, planes, etc.). In particular, human-machine interaction is becoming increasingly complex in an environment with higher levels of both qualitative and quantitative information, automated data exchange (into and out of the vehicle) and increasing levels of automation (systems, operations, etc.).

The project addresses all types of vehicles and “driver” clusters. The project addresses in a balanced way the awareness and acceptance of automated vehicle “drivers”, the relevant fleet operators, key stakeholders and the general public.

However, developments in recent years have primarily focused on “hard” technological advances and the maturity of technology-driven transport/mobility concepts, outpacing and insufficiently addressing the “soft” human component in this evolution. Therefore, the challenge relates to a number of inter-related themes, ranging from public acceptance of connectivity and automation (e.g. data privacy, role of the human), to the development of user-friendly and appropriate Human-Machine Interfaces (HMI), “driver”/vehicle interaction and ethical decision making, to “driver” training and certification for new technologies/levels of automation