From Passersby to Placemaking: Designing Autonomous Vehicle-Pedestrian Encounters for an Urban Shared Space

2026-03-29

AI Summary

This study addresses the adverse impact of autonomous vehicles on the ambiance of urban shared spaces, which often undermines human-centered placemaking objectives. For the first time, placemaking principles are integrated into external human–machine interface (eHMI) design, yielding three novel eHMI concepts that incorporate the visual, semantic, and emotional characteristics of shared spaces. Through immersive virtual reality simulations, semi-structured interviews, think-aloud protocols, and questionnaire-based evaluations, the proposed designs are shown to significantly enhance pedestrians’ perceived safety, visual appeal, sense of reassurance, and place identity. Findings indicate that placemaking-informed eHMIs effectively improve user experience, evoke greater pleasure, and increase interface attractiveness, thereby fostering social interaction and mutual coexistence in human–vehicle shared environments.

Abstract

Autonomous vehicles (AVs) tend to disrupt the atmosphere and pedestrian experience in urban shared spaces, undermining the focus of these spaces on people and placemaking. We investigate how external human-machine interfaces (eHMIs) supporting AV-pedestrian interaction can be extended to consider the characteristics of an urban shared space. Inspired by urban HCI, we devised three place-based eHMI designs that (i) enhance a conventional intent eHMI and (ii) exhibit content and physical integration with the space. In an evaluation study, 25 participants experienced the eHMIs in an immersive simulation of the space via virtual reality and shared their impressions through think-aloud, interviews, and questionnaires. Results showed that the place-based eHMIs had a notable effect on influencing the perception of AV interaction, including aspects like visual aesthetics and sense of reassurance, and on fostering a sense of place, such as social interactivity and the intentionality to coexist. In measuring qualities of pedestrian experience, we found that perceived safety significantly correlated with user experience and affect, including the attractiveness of eHMIs and feelings of pleasantness. The paper opens the avenue for exploring how eHMIs may contribute to the placemaking goals of pedestrian-centric spaces and improve the experience of people encountering AVs within these environments.

Problem

• autonomous vehicles
• urban shared space
• pedestrian experience
• placemaking
• eHMI

Innovation

• place-based eHMI
• autonomous vehicle-pedestrian interaction
• urban shared space
• placemaking
• immersive simulation