MIRAbot: A rearview mirror driving assistant

Private Vehicle Autonomous Driving has become a reality, with significant progress in the approval and deployment of SAE (Society of Automotive Engineers) Level 3 vehicles in regions such as Japan, Europe, and the United States. These vehicles enable hands-free, eyes-off driving under specific conditions, but drivers must remain alert to notifications and be ready to take control when required. While this technology offers convenience, it also faces challenges in earning drivers' trust and acceptance.

To address this, the UTokyo DLX Design Lab, in collaboration with the Department of Industrial Design at KAIST (Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology), designed and developed internal human-machine interfaces (iHMI) to foster trust between drivers and Level 3 autonomous private vehicles. This collaboration resulted in two prototypes: Auze, a robotic in-car accessory, and MIRAbot, a rearview mirror driving assistant.

In summary, the project hosted four  student interns from KAIST at DLX Design Lab’s Kashiwa studio, conducted two public demonstrations and a user study of the prototypes at Kashiwa Open Campus in 2023 and 2024, and presented its findings at HRI 2024 and CHI 2024, with a planned presentation at CHI 2025, prestigious international conferences in Human-Robot Interaction and Human-Computer Interaction.

The research followed an exploratory design approach, beginning with an ideation workshop involving 14 designers at the 4D Space in UTokyo Kashiwa II Campus, which yielded the concept of a rearview mirror ornament designed to protect the driver. Through iterative ideation, exploratory prototyping, and demonstrations for peer and expert feedback, the concept evolved into Auze, a robotic in-car accessory that utilizes kinesthetic and auditory cues in conjunction with the existing handover system to facilitate takeovers (see the Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mY6wbhw1sRI).

We further developed this concept into MIRAbot, a reimagined rearview mirror designed as a driving assistant. MIRAbot transitions seamlessly between functioning as a standard rearview mirror and an interactive assistant, supporting manual driving, autonomous driving, and the transitions between them. Using anthropomorphic movements and voice prompts, MIRAbot directs attention during takeovers and enhances driver engagement (see the Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w5Xgp1wnp9g&t=17s).

Through Auze and MIRAbot, we aim to seamlessly integrate autonomous technology into everyday driving, not only fostering trust between drivers and Level 3 autonomous private vehicles but also delivering a more supportive, enjoyable, and accessible experience for all users, especially those who face challenges adapting to emerging technology.

This work was supported by the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) KAKENHI Grant Number 22H00246.

UTokyo DLX: Hyunjung Kim, Max Fischer, Shota Kiuchi, Kumi Oda, Kentaro Honma, Miles Pennington

KAIST ID: Jongik Jeon, Seunghwa Pyo, Yena Kim, Geumjin Lee, Chang Hee Lee

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  Auze, an in-car accessory with kinesthetic and auditory handover pre-alert for semi-autonomous vehicles.

  

  MIRAbot, a rearview mirror driving assistant for semi-autonomous vehicles.

  

  A workshop participant testing a prototype in a real car within a projected simulation of a takeover situation in semi-autonomous driving.