"Turning left at the next intersection. Approaching a stop sign soon."

The Institutes of Innovation for Future Society (InFuS) at Nagoya University has developed a "conductor robot" that provides real-time updates to passengers about the movements of an autonomous vehicle. A demonstration experiment has been launched to assess its effectiveness.

The conductor robot informs passengers about the vehicle's movements using hand gestures and simulated speech. 

Autonomous driving technology has made significant strides, with features like automatic braking, adaptive cruise control, and self-driving capabilities under certain conditions becoming commercially available. However, many passengers still experience unease, wondering: "Will the car really stop on its own?" or "Is it actually detecting obstacles properly?"

Demonstration Experiment in Kozoji New Town.The residential area sees pedestrian and vehicular traffic, and even the occasional cat crossing the street.

To help alleviate these concerns, the conductor robot was developed. It synchronizes with the autonomous driving system and provides real-time verbal updates, such as: "There is an obstacle ahead, initiating avoidance maneuver," or "Approaching a stop sign soon." Unlike screen-based notification systems, the conductor robot communicates through speech and gestures, fostering a sense of security and familiarity for passengers.

 Designated Professor Yasuhiro Akagi explains autonomous vehicle systems to the press. 

The demonstration experiment took place in the Ishiodai district of Kozoji New Town, Kasugai City, Aichi Prefecture. Since October 2022, residents have been operating a paid transportation service, primarily helping elderly passengers travel to hospitals and supermarkets. In February 2023, autonomous vehicles were introduced to the service, which now accommodates approximately 1,200 passengers annually, becoming a vital part of the community. Despite this success, surveys revealed that many passengers still felt uneasy about autonomous driving.

Autonomous vehicle conducting test runs with journalists and officials onboard 

Designated Professor Takahiro Tanaka, who led the conductor robot's development, highlights its dual benefits: "Not only does the robot ease passengers' anxiety, but it also helps reduce the stress felt by human operators."

A local woman overseeing the transportation service shared her thoughts: "Once you get used to it, it's incredibly convenient. Parking, in particular, feels effortless and reassuring." She added with a laugh: "The car once stopped because it detected weeds growing by the roadside--I guess it's time for some weed trimming!" Interestingly, this seems to have unintentionally sparked a positive cycle of environmental maintenance in the neighborhood.

Designated Professor Ryo Kanamori, Project Lead (Global Research Institute for Mobility in Society, Institutes of Innovation for Future Society) 

As part of this demonstration experiment, InFuS aims to refine autonomous vehicle technology to make it more user-friendly while exploring ways to bring it into practical use. Designated Professor Ryo Kanamori emphasized the importance of focusing on real-world applications: "Rather than simply chasing cutting-edge technology, our goal is to understand residents' actual needs and develop solutions that integrate seamlessly into society."

This research is part of the fourth phase of the "Knowledge Hub Aichi Priority Research Project" and is being conducted in collaboration with InFuS at Nagoya University, POTSTILL Co., Ltd., and XXADE Inc.

The International Communications Office, Nagoya University wishes to thank the Public Relations Office, Nagoya University for the use of this article. It was originally written in Japanese for the "Public Relations Meidai" web magazine by Tatsuyuki Fukui. All photos were taken by Tatsuyuki Fukui. It has been translated and edited for clarity and readability by Scott Kwon and the International Communications Office while preserving the original content's intent. This article was originally published on October 11, 2024 so some information may not be up to date. For the original, please see here.