Abstract
It is essential that the interfaces of low carbon vehicles particularly fully Electric Vehicle (EV) support new users while they adjust to a different type of driving experience. Use of EV is not yet widespread and little is known about the user requirements for Human Machine Interfaces. One of the common concerns is driver anxiety about his/her vehicle’s ability to cover the distance required. However the problem is one of perception and driver experience in the context of new technologies, EV’s limited range and an immature charging infrastructure. Nevertheless eliminating range anxiety for the EV owner is one of a major design challenges for future Low Carbon Vehicle manufacturers. The current study found that drivers who had some experience of driving an EV have less anxiety than those who had never driven an EV. Experienced drivers develop strategies to ensure that they only undertake those journeys that they are confident about having enough range to complete and aware of the factors that could potentially impact on the range. It is clear from users’ feedback that estimated range of the vehicle is one of the most critical pieces of information for a driver. Combining this with battery state of charge information can provide the driver with a better understanding of the current range of their EV. However accuracy is a key factor to gain trust in range information. EV drivers need dynamic information on factors that influence available range. There is also a requirement for information that will enable drivers to drive economically. While designing the EV driver information system, designers must overcome the information complexity issue. Concerns were raised that complex information in current EVs could potentially lead to driver distraction and may increase anxiety further. In conclusion providing reliable, relevant and prioritise information can help to minimise range anxiety.
Highlights
The age of the Electric Vehicle (EV) has started and automotive manufacturers are heavily engaged in development of this new vehicle technology
“Range Anxiety” is a term mostly associated with Plug-in EV (PEV) or Fully Electric Vehicle (FEV)
This study found that range anxiety dropped by 35% after the user has some experience with an EV
Summary
The age of the Electric Vehicle (EV) has started and automotive manufacturers are heavily engaged in development of this new vehicle technology. Another example includes the vehicle’s limited range and how vehicles communicate the effect of driving style on potential range These unknowns mean it is important to understand the issues related to user interaction with EVs as these will have an impact on driver acceptance of the overall vehicle. In order to maximise the adoption of EVs it is vital for automotive manufacturers to make the driver’s interaction experience, especially with Human Machine Interfaces (HMI), a positive and rewarding part of the overall EV ownership experience This means understanding the issues users have with current products, and identifying the pertinent design problems that need to be addressed. Because of this key position mediating between user and machine, the experience of interacting with the HMI needs to be intuitive and positive, which is why automotive manufacturers and suppliers wish to optimize this aspect of their vehicles [2]
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