Car-sharing economy has caused new driving safety and usability problems, which have not been well studied. This study aims at analyzing the effects of users age and the user experience (UX) of the car-sharing software (e.g., DiDi travel app) on overall usability and the level of distraction for drivers. To this end, 48 experienced Chinese drivers were recruited to perform various tasks with the car-sharing software using a driving simulator. The variables of driving safety and usability were analyzed by two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and independent sample Kruskal–Wallis nonparametric test. As expected, it was found that car-sharing software has a significant negative impact on driving distraction and usability. The overall performance of young drivers is better than that of the elderly, but it seems that young drivers are more likely to be led to errors by car-sharing software. In most aspects, experienced drivers perform better than inexperienced drivers and have a better in-depth understanding of car-sharing software weaknesses. However, inexperienced drivers performed better regarding braking time and interaction time. Although young inexperienced drivers performed worst in driving safety, they exhibited the lowest cognitive load and the highest interaction efficiency. The experience of using car-sharing software may improve driver’s ability to deal with driving distractions. The above conclusions provide theoretical support for optimizing the UX of car-sharing software and some references for driver’s screening and training.

As a large-scale public transport mode, the driving safety of high-speed rail has a profound impact on public health. In this study, we determined the most efficient multi-modal warning interface for automatic driving of a high-speed train and put forward suggestions for optimization and improvement. Forty-eight participants were selected, and a simulated 350 km/h high-speed train driving experiment equipped with a multi-modal warning interface was carried out. Then, the parameters of eye movement and behavior were analyzed by independent sample Kruskal–Wallis test and one-way analysis of variance. The results showed that the current level 3 warning visual interface of a high-speed train had the most abundant warning graphic information, but it failed to increase the takeover efficiency of the driver. The visual interface of the level 2 warning was more likely to attract the attention of drivers than the visual interface of the level 1 warning, but it still needs to be optimized in terms of the relevance of and guidance between graphic–text elements. The multi-modal warning interface had a faster response efficiency than the single-modal warning interface. The auditory–visual multi-modal interface had the highest takeover efficiency and was suitable for the most urgent (level 3) high-speed train warning. The introduction of an auditory interface could increase the efficiency of a purely visual interface, but the introduction of a tactile interface did not improve the efficiency. These findings can be used as a basis for the interface design of automatic driving high-speed trains and help improve the active safety of automatic driving high-speed trains, which is of great significance to protect the health and safety of the public.

Enhancing transparency through interface design is an effective method for improving driving safety while reducing driver workloads, potentially fostering human–machine collaboration. However, to ensure system usability and safety, operator psychological factors and operational performance must be well balanced. This study investigates how the introduction of transparency design into urban rail transit driving tasks influences drivers’ situational awareness (SA), trust in automation (TiA), sense of agency (SoA), workload, operational performance, and visual behavior. Three transparency driver–machine interface (DMI) information conditions were evaluated: DMI1, which provided continuous feedback on vehicle operating status and actions; DMI1+2, which added inferential explanations; and DMI1+2+3, which further incorporated proactive predictions. Results from simulated driving experiments with 32 participants indicated that an appropriate level of transparency significantly enhanced TiA and SoA, thereby yielding the greatest acceptance. High transparency significantly aided in predictable takeover tasks but affected gains in TiA and SoA, increased workload, and disrupted perception-level SA. Compared with previous research findings, this study indicates the presence of a disparity in transparency needs for low-workload tasks. Therefore, caution should be exercised when introducing high-transparency designs in urban rail transit driving tasks. Nonetheless, an appropriate transparency interface design can enhance the driving experience.

The electrification of intercity railways plays a significant role in energy conservation and emission reduction. Research on passenger travel activities to optimize vehicle services can help to understand how best to improve passenger attraction and the use of intercity railways. In this study, we conducted observational research on two electrified intercity railways that were segregated by the attributes, leisure, and commute. The purpose was to determine the influence of line attribute, passenger gender, age, and seat availability on the types of activities performed onboard, with specific attention placed on the use of information and communication technology (ICT). Using structured observations, the travel multitasking activity data of 467 passengers were collected on two intercity railways in real-life situations. Using the chi-square test and binary logistic regression analysis, it was found that line attribute, gender, age, and seat availability have an impact on passenger activities. Differences in factors affecting passenger activities were also found according to the nature of their travel, whether for commute or leisure. Our results suggest that passengers on the leisure line prefer to engage in some social activities. For example, the probability of conversation among passengers on the leisure line was 3.47 times that of the commuting line, and the middle-aged and elderly travelers on this line were more likely to be in a daze and look around. The probability of taking a break for passengers on the commuting line was 3.625 times that of the leisure line, and passengers who were not seated on this line were found to be more likely to be idle. In addition, male travelers and young travelers preferred to engage in ICT immersive activities, such as using mobile phones, while women, middle-aged, and elderly travelers were more likely to engage in non-ICT immersive activities. Seated passengers were more likely to engage in simultaneous multitasking activities, rest, and conversations than passengers without seats.

1. Collaborative Virtual Environments (CVEs) refer to virtual environments that provide remote collaboration support for geographically dispersed individuals (Churchill et al., 2012). With the adva...

Interactive media has demonstrated potential in reducing perceived waiting times and enhancing user experiences across various public contexts. However, its specific effects within traffic environments remain unexplored. This study investigated how different forms of visual media influence individuals' perceived screen effectiveness and perceived waiting time during red-light waiting periods. A within-subjects experiment (N = 44, aged 18–35, gender-balanced) compared the same screen under three different conditions: static condition, linear condition, and interactive condition. Participants estimated their perceived waiting time and reported their perceived screen effectiveness after experienced each condition. The results revealed that the screen under OpenPose-based interactive condition significantly shortened participants' perceived waiting time compared with both the static and linear conditions. Moreover, participants using the screen with interactive condition showed better perceived screen effectiveness, for example, higher levels of engagement and pleasure while reducing boredom and anxiety. Furthermore, higher ratings of negative perceived screen effectiveness were associated with longer perceived waiting times. These findings suggest that embodied interactivity, enabled by OpenPose-based technology, can meaningfully alter subjective time perception and emotional experiences in everyday waiting scenarios. This study extends the application of interactive media to traffic contexts and provides empirical evidence for the potential of embodied interaction design in improving public experience and environmental perception.