Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Lab
Project Overview
Background: The Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Lab is a not-for-profit UARC (University Affiliated Research Center) focused on solving complex challenges and developing novel solutions for public service and innovation.
Objective: Develop user-centered strategies to enhance perceptions of safety and decision-making in autonomous vehicles (AVs), shaping policies, technological advancements, and user experiences to create a safer and more efficient autonomous transportation system.
Skills: Secondary Research, Creative Design Implementation
Contributions: Initial Research, Low-Mid fidelity prototyping, Policy Research and Recommendations, Interviews, Championed communication between teams at JHU APL and Purdue.
Goals
Address how non-automotive users (NAVU) and other vulnerable road users interact with AVs
Strengthen the trust in autonomous decision-making
Mitigate risks associated with distracted, reckless, or unpredictable behavior on campus roads
Exploring the Current State of AVs
What defines an autonomous vehicle, and where does the technology stand today?
What are the current limitations, perceptions, and societal concerns surrounding AVs?
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Preliminary Desk Review
Social Media Desk Review
Comparative Analysis
Subject Matter Expert Interviews
Policy Research
Interactions Between Pedestrians and Drivers
How do different types of vehicles operate on campus?
What types of interactions occur at crosswalks and intersections?
What are vulnerable road users' perceptions of autonomous vehicles?
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User Surveys
Observations
NAVU Interviews
Showcasing the Future of AVs
How might AVs evolve by 2040, and how could we convey possible scenarios involving AVs within a college campus?
What policies and design interventions are needed to build trust and ensure safe integration?
Policy Ideation Workshop
Ideate AV policies that support innovation while also prioritizing public safety and infrastructure readiness in collegiate environments.
We also identified the 4 main stakeholders in policy creation revolving AVs on campus: Vehicle Manufacturers, Users, State/Federal Lawmakers, and Colleges
Sketching
Establish a vision of what the final vignette should include and how the layout should be approached.
We realized that the AV should have easily distinguishable external features, such as distinctly colored headlights, should integrate LiDAR, cameras, and radar at multiple points of the vehicle’s exterior to ensure optimal safety for passengers and other road users.
It can also have a digital interactive dashboard display featuring navigation, entertainment, and other various user-centered controls. The AV should also include communicative features which keep the passengers informed about the vehicle’s operation, surroundings, and potential hazards at all times.
Storyboarding
Have a clear vision of which stories we would like to include in the vignette as well as what aspects we would like to highlight.
To showcase our final future autonomous vehicle prototype along with the diverse use cases of the public AV, our team developed five final personas that portray pinpoints flowing from user awareness to consideration, decision, and retention.
Through our storyboarding, we were able to iterate on our final design vignette presentation and made rationalized decisions on which aspects of our final solution we wanted the vignette to showcase.
Final Solution
Policy Recommendations
Suggest AV policies that support innovation while prioritizing public safety and infrastructure readiness.
After creating these ideal policies that we feel are necessary to be implemented, we used some of these policies in our Design Fiction Vignette and how these policies would look like in the daily lives of users.
Low-Mid Fidelity Prototyping
Have a visual representation of an optimal AV for the year 2040, so it can be used as a reference for AV designers.
This prototype focuses on the physical and technical aspects of AV design as we think about what features and capabilities will be necessary for seamless integration into campus environments. It ensures that our vision for AVs aligns with the needs of real-world users.
Ecosystem Map
Highlight possible interactions and perceptions of stakeholders for AVs in the digital future.
In order to understand the broader vehicle ecosystem and its existing challenges (e.g. pedestrian safety concerns, traffic congestion, infrastructure), we mapped out interactions between players and pinpoint areas where AVs can enhance the ecosystem. This ecosystem map acts as a foundation for our deliverables, as it will guide our design decisions and be used to identify key players for our vignette.
Design Fiction Vignette
Create a more visually compelling and interactive prototype that reflects the final product experience.
While the prototype defines the AV itself, the vignette places it within a real-world context, examining how people might interact with it in their daily lives. It will uncover how students, faculty, other campus users adapt to AVs, and any unforeseen challenges that might arise in their adoption.
Personal Reflections
This project was vastly different compared to anything I'd done before, being heavily research-based and it made me think out of the box. Conducting the research was one thing, but presenting it in unique ways that demonstrated everything we'd learned and our solution in a comprehensive way was a new challenge. I learned more about my interests and found that I enjoy these research-heavy projects and wish to explore more in this field.