Pneu-Haptics: Unlocking the Potential of a Haptic Cueing System for Driver Communication, Collaboration and Control with (Semi-) Autonomous Vehicles

Programme(s): HORIZON.1.1 - European Research Council (ERC)

Topic(s): ERC-2024-POC - ERC PROOF OF CONCEPT GRANTS

Call for proposal: ERC-2024-POC

Funding Scheme: HORIZON-ERC-POC - HORIZON ERC Proof of Concept Grants

Grant agreement ID: 101212898 

Project description:
Driving communication through touch
The driving experience is changing as vehicles transition from manual to semi-autonomous control. However, beeping noises and flashing lights are still the main methods of communication with drivers, which causes cognitive overload. In this context, the ERC-funded Pneu-Haptics project uses haptic cues driven by pneumatics and installed in seats to activate the body’s innate intelligence. It can adjust posture changes from relaxed to alert by gently shifting support beneath the driver’s back, enabling them to regain control naturally. This creative method seeks to increase safety while also making the experience less disruptive. The project will influence how drivers and cars communicate through touch by creating a functional demonstrator.

Objective:
There is an on-going societal shift from manual vehicles to semi-autonomous vehicles, which will fundamentally alter the practical, emotional and somatic experience of driving cars, trucks, trains, and even tractors. At the same time, innovations in strategies for communicating with the driver have not advanced beyond the utilization of visual and audio modalities. As the driving experience becomes more complex this has led to an overwhelming cognitive experience consisting of excessive blinking and beeping. Pneu-Haptics is a new approach to this problem of communication with the driver. Making use of pneumatically powered haptic cues embedded within the seat, Pneu-Haptics utilises the intelligence that resides in our bodies by touching and gently moving larger body parts in ways which can somatically and intuitively create conditions for action or emotion. For example, by dynamically changing the support of a driver’s back area, the driver’s posture can be altered from a slouched and more relaxed position to an erect and alert postural state that readies the driver for taking back control of the vehicle. This ERC PoC project will evaluate whether such an approach can improve the passive safety of the driver by moving beyond approaches which rely on pure symbolic meaning and cognitive reasoning. While at the same time make the driving a smoother and non- disruptive experience. The goal of the Pneu-Haptics PoC project is to demonstrate the effectiveness and value of Pneu-Haptics as a new modality for enabling communication and collaboration between a driver and a vehicle in a way which is a dignified aesthetic experience. Together the research team will produce a robust demonstrator for testing and demonstrating to Pneu-Haptics to relevant industries, establish a ‘killer’ app and industry for Pneu-Haptics and develop a business plan for bringing Pneu-Haptics to market.