Self driving cars are becoming a reality due to advancements in machine learning and AI.
They are robots disguised as cars, using sensors and actuators to navigate roads and respond to features in the environment. Tesla is the most popular car maker to use autopilot features, released by a software update in 2014.
The first attempts at mass producing autonomous vehicles for today demonstrates that as designers we need to start thinking about how people in the future will interact with autonomous vehicles.
This design brief focus on screen-based interfaces that enable interactions with autonomous vehicles. Map out what will be required to assist people in interaction with autonomous vehicles in the future. It will be difficult to gather first-hand experience and common usability issues. You will have to rely on existing documentation found online or in research papers.
Revealed on 11 Oct 2024 at Tesla's 'We, Robot' event in Los Angeles, CEO Elon Musk unveils Robotaxi.
The Tesla Robotaxi is fully electric and fully autonomous, featuring no steering wheel or pedals. It charges via inductive wireless charging - wireless charging pad on the ground (there is no option of a charge port in the vehicle).
The Robotaxi is said to make use of AI to navigate roads, cost “less than $30,000 and be released “Before 2027… dependant on regulator approval”.
The Robotaxi is 2 door, 2 seater passenger vehicle with a 21-inch touch-screen in the centre. There are no exterior door handles nor exterior mirrors present. The doors rise up, assumably for accessiblity. 21 inch low rolling continental tires (painted gold to complete the optical illusion). There is no manual override option available, as the the Robotaxi is capable of self-driving fully unsupervised.
No manual override, however when pushed on the issue further, the engineer admitted: “There will be some sort of minimal on-screen controls available, but the goal is that you never have to override.”
“Simply aiming for the vehicle to be efficient as possible.”
The design features aerodynamics and low rolling resistance tires.