In-vehicles interfaces development and elderly habits: a possible encounter

Abstract: Nowadays the world is getting older and more populated. This is mainly due to several factors: the aging of the baby boomer generation; the extended longevity, the decreased birth rate as well as a period of relative peace all over the world. (Fatima, K., & Moridpour, S. (2019).Nevertheless, while the extended life expectancy can be considered an achievement for the human race, on the other hand, it also involves several challenges, for instance, maintaining economic productivity, health care programs, and public pension benefits. Furthermore, an ageing society means a population that requires higher costs in public health care and other services (News, K., & Lives, H. 2018).Aging society is a factor which involves all the field of the world and mobility is for sure not an exception. Especially for elderly people, Mobility is fundamental to active aging and is intimately linked to health status and quality of life. (Webber, S. C., Porter, M. M., & Menec, V. H. 2010) (Fatima, K., & Moridpour, S. (2019), (Johnson,et al. 2017).While the world is aging, the field of automotive is undergoing profound transformation. Despite the fact that the current situation can be described as a VUCA situation which stands for volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity, all automotive experts agree on a completely renewed automotive future 2030 characterized by: the spread of electric and connected vehicles, the use of partially or fully automated vehicles; a loss of centrality of vehicle ownership in favor of a mobility service. All changes can be summarized under the acronym MADE which indicates: New Models of Mobility, Autonomous Driving, Digitization, Electrification. Especially considering the forecasts for future growth volumes and the intensity of technological discontinuity, electronics is certainly the sector that will grow the most: especially in the areas of Infotainment and ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance System).Roland Berger(2020)While the introduction of new technologies can be a good marketing and profit-enhancing tool for a company, it must be considered that such changes are more influenced by financial reasons than by user desirability issues. For this reason, in a world where innovation is very fast, introducing new features could be very interesting for a young population but a hindrance for older people. In fact, according to several studies people with or above 65 years old are more averse to using new tools and interfaces since the use of these would involve, at least in a first phase, errors and embarrassing situations that are hardly tolerated (Arch et al 2008; Hill et al 2015; Raimundo and Da Silvana Santana 2014; Zajicek 2001). This is also confirmed by the fact that older people prefer familiar and known steps differently from young people who usually like to explore new solutions (Pernice et al 2013)For this reason, this contribution analyzes the current in-vehicles HMI trends to provide possible improvement points to improve elderly travelling experience and verify possible encounters between the fast development of the automotive industry and the mobility of elderly people.

Keywords: In vehicle interface design - Elderly Mobility - Inclusive Design

DOI: 10.54941/ahfe1001872

Cite this paper:

​