Last week, the DG Cities team was at Cenex, the annual gathering for those working in the CAM (Connected Automated Mobility) industry. For our Behavioural Scientist, Emily King, this year was her first time at the event – we asked her to write a little bit about her impressions of the self-driving vehicle sector, and how it relates to our latest project, DeepSafe…

Last week, I attended the annual Cenex-LCV conference, a two-day event hosted at the Millbrook testing ground near Milton Keynes and attended by a wide range of organisations driving forward innovation in transport, from electric vehicles to automated mobility. There was plenty to engage with, from virtual reality simulations and driving games to vehicle test-drives, and a range of talks on offer from key stakeholders in the sector.

As DG Cities, along with a consortium of partners, embarks on the DeepSafe project, which aims to increase the safety of connected autonomous vehicles (CAVs), my main aim for the event was to learn more about current issues in CAVs safety and public engagement.

An important component of ensuring CAVs are as safe as they can be is encouraging diversity in the perspectives that are considered when developing them. Cenex was a microcosm of the autonomous vehicles world, and the largely white, middle class, male attendees indicated that the sector may be limiting itself in its thinking about safety through a lack of diversity.

Safety in the automotive sector has historically centred on the needs of “the average man”. For example, until 2015, safety tests such as the seatbelt test were performed on 50th-percentile male crash test dummies, leaving dangerous data gaps on the impact of crashes on those with female anatomy. Further, findings from a 2021 study that analysed ten years of personal injury collision data from Great Britain show that pedestrians of non-white ethnicity and individuals living in deprived areas are more likely to be injured in a collision on the roads.

So, the crucial question is: how can the CAV sector prevent similar biases in safety processes for autonomous vehicles? The answer seems to lie in involving a wide range of potential users throughout the development of these vehicles.

There are different needs and experiences to be considered for different groups of transport users. Existing research suggests that safety perceptions can differ based on factors such as gender, for example – recent CCAV trials demonstrated that women tended to have higher ‘focus’ and ‘stress’ levels initially when trialling self-driving vehicles compared to men.

It is particularly important to consider the needs of those expected to benefit most from CAV technologies, for example people with reduced mobility who may currently have limited transport options available to them, as well as those from marginalised groups who are regularly overlooked in service design and who currently face significant barriers accessing transit.

As well as seeking diversity in user perspectives, it’s also vital to encourage a more diverse workforce in the sector – this is crucial amongst those making key decisions on the future of CAVs. Women are currently under-represented within the automotive sector, at all levels (Automotive Council UK, 2022), as well as more widely in the STEM industries (Engineering UK, 2022). Showcasing a diverse set of applications for careers in the CAV sector, including their relevance to topics like climate change, a more equitable society, and safety could be crucial in inspiring those from outside the sector to explore this as a career option.

As the CAV industry undergoes significant transformation, ensuring safety for all requires us to welcome a broader range of perspectives. By involving a more diverse group of users and professionals, we can create a safer and more inclusive future for autonomous vehicles.