A Comparison of Presentation Mediums for the Study of Trust in Autonomous Vehicles

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to compare presentation methods for use in the validation of the Trust in Selfdriving Vehicle Scale (TSDV), a questionnaire designed to assess user trust in self-driving cars. Previous studies have validated trust instruments using traditional videos wherein participants watch a scenario involving an automated system but there are strong concerns about external validity with this approach. We examined four presentation conditions: a flat screen monitor with a traditional video, a flat screen with a 2D 180 video, an Oculus Go VR headset with a 2D 180 video, and an Oculus Go with a 3D VR video. Participants watched eight video scenarios of a self-driving vehicle attempting a right-hand tum at a stop sign and rated their trust in the vehicle shown in the video after each scenario using the TSDV and rated telepresence for the viewing condition. We found a significant interaction between the mean TSDV scores for pedestrian collision and presentation condition. The TSDV mean in the Headset 2D 180 condition was significantly higher than the other three conditions. Additionally, when used to view the scenarios as 3D VR videos, the headset received significantly higher ratings of spatial presence compared to the condition using a flatscreen a 2D video; none of the remaining comparisons were statistically significant. Based on the results it is not recommended that the headset be used for short scenarios because the benefits do not outweigh the costs.