Keywords: mixed, virtual and augmented reality, user acceptance, automation trust, interaction with vulnerable road users, SAE J3016, ISO 26262

Description: Due to the large number of electronic components and software systems they contain, automated vehicles are required to cover an almost infinite (and in reality barely achievable) number of test kilometres in order to obtain vehicle approval in the conventional way. One way of reducing the amount of test effort is to employ virtual testing. However, it is then essential that the results obtained are robust and equivalent to those that would be produced under realistic conditions. For this reason, several research projects have been initiated that are concerned with creating various test environments that enable reproducible vehicle testing to be performed in a mixed reality (partly virtual and partly real-life) environment – for instance the hazard-free evaluation of vehicle-pedestrian interaction. This approach aims not only at successfully virtualising parts of the vehicle tests hitherto performed in real life but also in identifying problems in the human-machine interface by integrating future consumers at an early stage (in the form of test participants) to suggest solutions for promoting the acceptance of automated vehicles by society as well as by individuals.