Periodic Reporting for period 2 - HEIDI (Holistic and adaptivE Interface Design for human-technology Interactions)
Période du rapport: 2024-03-01 au 2025-08-31
The HEIDI project aimed to enable safe, efficient and widely accepted interactions between vehicles and vulnerable road users, including those with different automation levels and reduced physical or cognitive abilities due to age, distraction or temporary conditions. Responding to the European CCAM strategy and Vision Zero, HEIDI addressed the need for human-centred, inclusive communication between automated vehicles and people in complex traffic environments.
Adopting a holistic approach, HEIDI treated drivers and external road users as active components of one cooperative system. Its objectives were to develop and demonstrate fluid, cooperative human–machine interfaces (HMIs); create innovation modules for mutual awareness; establish validation methods for cooperative HMI solutions; and produce recommendations for regulation, standardisation and adaptive HMI design.
In the second half of the project, HEIDI advanced from concept to prototyping and real-world validation. Internal (iHMI) and external (eHMI) interfaces were implemented in two demonstration vehicles, while the cooperative HMI (cHMI) was validated in a co-simulation linking a driving simulator and virtual pedestrian lab. Studies with over 150 participants confirmed clear benefits: iHMI reduced reaction times and perceived danger under distraction; eHMI improved clarity and cut time-to-resolve by up to 1.9 seconds; cHMI enabled cooperative resolutions in 77% of interactions versus 46% in baseline conditions.
HEIDI also developed the Osmotic Layer, a software architecture ensuring real-time data exchange between internal and external systems, and produced guidelines for design, validation and ethics aligned with the European Common Evaluation Methodology for CCAM (EU-CEM). The project contributed to regulatory work within EuroNCAP, IEEE and UNECE WP.29 supporting future standards for external and cooperative HMIs.
Social sciences and humanities were integral throughout. Human factors, psychology and ethics guided user needs analysis, interface design and validation to ensure inclusivity across ages and abilities, overseen by an external ethics advisor.
By combining technical innovation with human-centred design, HEIDI offers a validated pathway toward foresight safety—anticipating and preventing hazards before they occur. The results strengthen Europe’s leadership in safe, ethical CCAM, with strong uptake potential and direct relevance for future vehicle regulation. Expected impacts include shorter interaction times, greater public acceptance of automated mobility and improved safety for all road users.
Adopting a holistic approach, HEIDI treated drivers and external road users as active components of one cooperative system. Its objectives were to develop and demonstrate fluid, cooperative human–machine interfaces (HMIs); create innovation modules for mutual awareness; establish validation methods for cooperative HMI solutions; and produce recommendations for regulation, standardisation and adaptive HMI design.
In the second half of the project, HEIDI advanced from concept to prototyping and real-world validation. Internal (iHMI) and external (eHMI) interfaces were implemented in two demonstration vehicles, while the cooperative HMI (cHMI) was validated in a co-simulation linking a driving simulator and virtual pedestrian lab. Studies with over 150 participants confirmed clear benefits: iHMI reduced reaction times and perceived danger under distraction; eHMI improved clarity and cut time-to-resolve by up to 1.9 seconds; cHMI enabled cooperative resolutions in 77% of interactions versus 46% in baseline conditions.
HEIDI also developed the Osmotic Layer, a software architecture ensuring real-time data exchange between internal and external systems, and produced guidelines for design, validation and ethics aligned with the European Common Evaluation Methodology for CCAM (EU-CEM). The project contributed to regulatory work within EuroNCAP, IEEE and UNECE WP.29 supporting future standards for external and cooperative HMIs.
Social sciences and humanities were integral throughout. Human factors, psychology and ethics guided user needs analysis, interface design and validation to ensure inclusivity across ages and abilities, overseen by an external ethics advisor.
By combining technical innovation with human-centred design, HEIDI offers a validated pathway toward foresight safety—anticipating and preventing hazards before they occur. The results strengthen Europe’s leadership in safe, ethical CCAM, with strong uptake potential and direct relevance for future vehicle regulation. Expected impacts include shorter interaction times, greater public acceptance of automated mobility and improved safety for all road users.
WP1 – Requirements, User Needs and Use Cases (100%). Defined and classified interaction use cases between vehicles and pedestrians, considering diverse user needs. Consolidated HEIDI’s human-centred methodologies, aligning them with the European Common Evaluation Methodology for CCAM (EU-CEM) and providing transferable guidance for future HMI research.
WP2 – iHMI and Internal Sensing (100%). Developed and validated a fluid internal HMI assisting drivers in pedestrian interactions. Iterative testing confirmed improved safety, usability and acceptance. Final studies showed earlier braking and reduced perceived danger under distraction. Implemented in a BMW iX prototype, demonstrating readiness for real-world use.
WP3 – eHMI and External Sensing (100%). Enhanced vehicle-to-pedestrian communication through external interfaces. Two eHMI concepts improved visibility, timing and clarity, reducing uncertainty and Time-to-Resolve by up to 1.9 seconds. The Mercedes EQS prototype achieved excellent usability (SUS 86.4).
WP4 – Cooperative HMI & Situation Understanding (100%). Completed the cooperative HMI (cHMI), integrating internal and external systems through the Osmotic Layer. A real-time perception and communication pipeline enabled cooperative resolutions, achieving high usability (SUS 82.4) and 77% cooperative outcomes.
WP5 – Validation Methods & Standardisation Recommendations (100%). Established validation methods, ethics protocols and regulatory guidance. Co-simulation environments linked driver and pedestrian simulators for multi-user studies. Tests confirmed strong usability and informed refinements for cHMI. Best-practice and standardisation recommendations were developed.
WP6 – Prototyping (100%). Two prototype vehicles—BMW iX (iHMI) and Mercedes EQS (eHMI)—were integrated with real-time sensing, communication hardware and the Osmotic Layer. DDS-based interfaces and logging tools ensured seamless data exchange.
WP7 – Validation of Project Results (100%). Conducted final validation in simulation and real-world contexts. Twelve studies confirmed earlier braking, smoother pedestrian behaviour and improved clarity. Cooperative HMI increased user trust and cooperative resolutions.
WP2 – iHMI and Internal Sensing (100%). Developed and validated a fluid internal HMI assisting drivers in pedestrian interactions. Iterative testing confirmed improved safety, usability and acceptance. Final studies showed earlier braking and reduced perceived danger under distraction. Implemented in a BMW iX prototype, demonstrating readiness for real-world use.
WP3 – eHMI and External Sensing (100%). Enhanced vehicle-to-pedestrian communication through external interfaces. Two eHMI concepts improved visibility, timing and clarity, reducing uncertainty and Time-to-Resolve by up to 1.9 seconds. The Mercedes EQS prototype achieved excellent usability (SUS 86.4).
WP4 – Cooperative HMI & Situation Understanding (100%). Completed the cooperative HMI (cHMI), integrating internal and external systems through the Osmotic Layer. A real-time perception and communication pipeline enabled cooperative resolutions, achieving high usability (SUS 82.4) and 77% cooperative outcomes.
WP5 – Validation Methods & Standardisation Recommendations (100%). Established validation methods, ethics protocols and regulatory guidance. Co-simulation environments linked driver and pedestrian simulators for multi-user studies. Tests confirmed strong usability and informed refinements for cHMI. Best-practice and standardisation recommendations were developed.
WP6 – Prototyping (100%). Two prototype vehicles—BMW iX (iHMI) and Mercedes EQS (eHMI)—were integrated with real-time sensing, communication hardware and the Osmotic Layer. DDS-based interfaces and logging tools ensured seamless data exchange.
WP7 – Validation of Project Results (100%). Conducted final validation in simulation and real-world contexts. Twelve studies confirmed earlier braking, smoother pedestrian behaviour and improved clarity. Cooperative HMI increased user trust and cooperative resolutions.
HEIDI introduced a fully integrated, human-centred framework for safe, efficient cooperation between vehicles and vulnerable road users. Its main innovations include:
• A Fluid Interaction Design enabling adaptive, “human-like” foresight in communication;
• The Osmotic Layer, ensuring seamless, low-latency data exchange between internal, external and cooperative systems;
• Three validated HMI systems (iHMI, eHMI, cHMI) across all automation levels;
• Advanced sensing and prediction modules for pedestrian intent and driver state;
• Co-simulation validation methods bridging lab and field studies.
Evaluation confirmed major safety and efficiency gains: reduced reaction and crossing times, high trust and usability (SUS >80), and a 77% cooperative resolution rate—surpassing current systems addressing only one side of the interaction. HEIDI’s methodologies were consolidated into guidelines and recommendations aligned with EU-CEM. Contributions to EuroNCAP, IEEE and UNECE WP.29 are shaping future standards for external and cooperative HMIs. Two full-scale demonstrators proved technical feasibility, and partners plan integration into future ADAS and automated driving systems.
To foster uptake, HEIDI highlights the need for continued large-scale demonstration, regulatory adaptation, cross-sector collaboration and IPR support to bring cooperative HMI solutions to market.
• A Fluid Interaction Design enabling adaptive, “human-like” foresight in communication;
• The Osmotic Layer, ensuring seamless, low-latency data exchange between internal, external and cooperative systems;
• Three validated HMI systems (iHMI, eHMI, cHMI) across all automation levels;
• Advanced sensing and prediction modules for pedestrian intent and driver state;
• Co-simulation validation methods bridging lab and field studies.
Evaluation confirmed major safety and efficiency gains: reduced reaction and crossing times, high trust and usability (SUS >80), and a 77% cooperative resolution rate—surpassing current systems addressing only one side of the interaction. HEIDI’s methodologies were consolidated into guidelines and recommendations aligned with EU-CEM. Contributions to EuroNCAP, IEEE and UNECE WP.29 are shaping future standards for external and cooperative HMIs. Two full-scale demonstrators proved technical feasibility, and partners plan integration into future ADAS and automated driving systems.
To foster uptake, HEIDI highlights the need for continued large-scale demonstration, regulatory adaptation, cross-sector collaboration and IPR support to bring cooperative HMI solutions to market.