Automation and networking open up new opportunities to organise local public transport efficiently and in line with demand, thus creating an attractive and environmentally friendly alternative to private transport.
The aim of the HEAT (Hamburg Electric Autonomous Transportation) project is to develop a public transport service with an autonomous electric minibus and to gradually implement a trial operation in Hamburg's HafenCity district by 2021. This will be the first time in Germany that a bus will drive autonomously on public roads. To this end, appropriate vehicles, route infrastructure and a control centre must be developed and legal solutions for the approval and operation of the system must be found.
In order for such an innovative transport service to be accepted, it is important to keep the people for whom it is being designed in mind during the development process. The bus should be easy and pleasant to use, and the vehicle should fit harmoniously into the traffic. To this end, the DLR Institute of Transportation Systems in HEAT has been commissioned with user-centred accompanying research: the needs and requirements of users with regard to the system and the interaction of participants in the surrounding traffic with the autonomous vehicles are being investigated across all phases. On this basis, indications will be derived as to what can be optimised in the vehicles and the transport service on the way to regular operation. Beyond the purpose of the project, fundamental scientific knowledge will be gained on how innovative transport services can be designed to be safe, efficient and attractive.
The human factors researchers from the DLR Institute of Transportation Systems use a wide range of methods to develop a comprehensive picture of user needs and acceptance of the system. As early as the preparatory phase, the concepts for the design of the vehicles, the infrastructure and the services are analysed in terms of usability. In the course of the project, the results of surveys - online or on site, depending on the phase and question - and systematic observations of the interaction of users and other road users with the vehicles and other system elements will complement each other in gaining insights. Special methods such as focus groups and expert evaluation provide more detailed design information.
User-centred accompanying research by DLR in HEAT.
