Beyond Automation: Exploring Passenger Cooperation and Perception in Teleoperated Shared Automated Vehicles (SAVs)

The advancement of automated shuttle buses has yet to reach a stage where they can operate fully autonomously on public roads. To address this limitation, academia and industry are exploring remote monitoring and control as an interim solution. Despite these efforts, certain scenarios, such as assisting a disabled person with boarding, remain challenging to manage remotely. Our study, conducted in a shuttle bus mock-up, explores the potential for passenger involvement in managing situations like this via collaboration with a remote control center or the vehicle itself. Our results indicate a general willingness of passengers to help in exceptional cases. However, there was a noticeable reluctance to deal with technical malfunctions, with participants showing low acceptance levels for such interventions. Interestingly, the study revealed that experiencing these critical situations led to a significant increase in trust toward automated driving technologies. These insights have important implications for developing Human-Machine Interfaces that effectively support passengers and remote operators in handling unusual situations.