Self-driving cars are fine while everything is ticking along nicely, but what happens when there’s a problem that might require human intervention? That’s been the subject of a new study at Loughborough university that aims to provide the government with guidance on how future self-driving taxis and other vehicles should be designed. 

Researchers have been using virtual reality technology that placed users in self-driving cars in a range of emergency situations to see how they would respond. A mix of 91 adults and children took part in the study, which found that many vulnerable users will need reassurance and that self-driving systems should be designed with a wide range of people's needs in mind. 

Gary Burnett (no relation), professor of digital creativity at Loughborough university, explained: “Participants experienced scenarios including a medical emergency involving another passenger, a fire inside the vehicle, flooding on the route, a collision, and a pedestrian attempting to open the taxi door. 

"By using VR, researchers were able to safely recreate high-risk situations that would be impossible to test in the real world, while still capturing authentic emotional and behavioural responses.”

The study comes days after it was revealed that self-driving taxis could be on the streets of London within months, if the government gives the nod. 

The project was funded by the Department for Transport, and the findings have been sent to the government for review. Professor Burnett (do like the sound of that though) and his colleagues found that barriers in emergencies are not only practical but also shaped by how safe people feel, with gender, age, disability and other protected characteristics influencing how confidently passengers were able to act or seek help.

Dr Clare Mutzenich was project leader on the study, and she’s a professor of human and AI interaction. She said: “Without a human driver to guide or reassure, automated systems will need to take on a more active role in supporting people, particularly in moments of uncertainty or emergency. 

"By bringing together voices that are often overlooked in transport planning, including those of disabled people, neurodivergent users, and individuals with gender or faith-related needs, this study helps lay the foundations for self-driving taxis that are not only technically capable, but genuinely inclusive, trusted and safe for everyone."

Another Loughborough survey is looking at what activities passengers in self-driving cars can safely do but still have the capacity to take back control when required by the car.

It’s likely that self-driving capability will have to be rolled out in stages, with cars better able to manage more predictable environments like motorways, rather than the chaos of city driving. 

It’ll be a long while before we’re able to jump in a car that can do without any human facing controls at all, so studies like this one will be crucial in determining how safely and quickly drivers can take back control of a car on the move.