Guiding, Not Driving: Design and Evaluation of a Command-Based User Interface for Teleoperation of Autonomous Vehicles

Autonomous vehicles (AVs) are rapidly evolving as an innovative mode of transportation. However, the consensus in industry and academia is that AVs cannot independently resolve all traffic scenarios. As a result, the necessity for remote human assistance becomes apparent. To facilitate the widespread integration of AVs on public roadways, developing novel models for remote operation is imperative. One such model is Remote Assistance, which advocates delegating low-level maneuvers to automation through high-level directives. Our study explores the design and evaluation of a novel command-based remote assistance UI for the teleoperation of AVs. First, by integrating various control paradigms and interaction concepts, we developed a simulation-based, high-fidelity interactive prototype describing complete interactive cycles for three distinct scenarios. Next, we conducted a comprehensive usability study with 14 domain experts to evaluate the acceptance and usability of the system. Finally, we formulated high-level insights and guidelines for designing command-based UIs for remote operation of AVs.