Towards Flexible Ridesharing Experiences

Abstract

The increasing usage of ride-sharing and autonomous vehicles has presented a need for personalized mobility experiences. This research defines these needs through an investigation from passengers who have used or will use these services. User-behaviors and user pain-points were categorized through in-depth interviews and observations. The most pressing categories were defined to be safety, privacy, and comfort. The variety of responses and user pain points defined a need for a flexible solution that employ a safe, private, and comfortable experience during a shared ride. We present a human-centered design solution that segments the shared space and provides a sense of security through personal physical space, privacy through asymmetrical viewing of neighboring passengers, and comfort through increasing the field of view of the passenger.