Autonomous driving offers new opportunities for time utilization. In collaboration with the company Audi, we investigated how this time thus gained in the vehicle can be put to good use, e.g. as a mobile office. To this end, a neuroscientific study of future interior designs was conducted.
From the point of view of Trend Communication Audi AG, developments toward autonomous vehicles entail one major advantage above all: more time. If people no longer have to drive themselves, they can simply relax in the car or attend to other things, such as business. What might a car look like that provides everyone with a working environment that is optimally adapted to them? Can our car help us work in a concentrated and productive way in the future? In Collaboration with Audi, we investigated the ideal working conditions in a self-driving car.
A driving simulator was set up to recreate automated driving under very authentic conditions. The setup provided variable design of the interior, such as ambient light and background noise in the interior and exterior. The window panes could be dimmed and digital disruptive stimuli could be generated via displays. We conducted a neuroscience study with a total of 30 participants to compare three configurations of the interior (based on lighting, visual stimulation, and sound) in terms of their potential to support productive work. During the simulated drive, they had to complete visual and auditory concentration tasks. Meanwhile, we assessed participants' concentration, performance, and cognitive load with subjective, behavioral, and measurement of brain activity (electroencephalography, EEG).
Our results show that a configuration with large-area, bright light with high blue components and reduced visual and auditory stimuli promoted performance, quality, efficiency, increased concentration, and lower cognitive workload. Increased visual and auditory stimulation paired with linear, dimmer light with very few blue components resulted in lower performance, reduced subjective concentration, and higher cognitive workload, but did not differ from a normal vehicle configuration. Our multimethod approach therefore identifies possible vehicle interior configurations for an ideal workplace. Conclusion: The brain is less stressed in an interior without distracting influences, such as dimmed windows, optimized light settings, and suppression of digital messages.
Fraunhofer IAO