From Driver to Passenger: Exploring New Driving Experiences for Older Drivers in Highly Automated Vehicles

The progressive advancement of highly automated vehicles is expected to make self-mobility more accessible and comfortable for the elderly population, because the potentialities of this technology allow older drivers to drive longer and safer. In that case, since autonomous driving is able to disengage drivers from the driving task, it opens a unique opportunity to develop new interactions that could completely change the use and the experience of traveling. Considering this scenario, the contribution explores the design space related to autonomous driving, specifically investigating new driving experiences that can be aligned with the older drivers’ necessities, in order to support them in maintaining their self-independence and autonomy as long as possible. Therefore, the paper analyzes some case studies that focus on novel forms of in-car activities and transportation-related services, which, in turn, are trying to offer a new perspective on the use of highly automated technology. In particular, the first two examples focus on changing the perceived cost of traveling by exploring unedited and playful non-driving-related activities. Instead, the other cases focus on redefining the relationship with the space of traveling, by proposing new services that provide to older drivers new exploratory and shareable commuting experiences.