An increasing number of studies employ virtual reality (VR) to evaluate interactions between autonomous vehicles (AVs) and pedestrians. VR simulators are valued for their cost-effectiveness, flexibility in developing various traffic scenarios, safe conduct of user studies, and acceptable ecological validity. Reviewing the literature between 2010 and 2020, we found 31 empirical studies using VR as a testing apparatus for both implicit and explicit communication. By performing a systematic analysis, we identified current coverage of critical use cases, obtained a comprehensive account of factors influencing pedestrian behavior in simulated traffic scenarios, and assessed evaluation measures. Based on the findings, we present a set of recommendations for implementing VR pedestrian simulators and propose directions for future research.
@article{arxiv.2403.11378,
title = {A Review of Virtual Reality Studies on Autonomous Vehicle--Pedestrian Interaction},
author = {Tram Thi Minh Tran and Callum Parker and Martin Tomitsch},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2403.11378},
year = {2024}
}