Interface Design for Responsible Remote Driving: A Study on Technological Mediation

Variati, Gabriella Emma; Fossa, Fabio; Prakash, Jai; Cheli, Federico; Caruso, Giandomenico · 2025 · OpenAlex-citations

DOI: 10.3390/app15052611

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Summary

This paper addresses the ethical and safety challenges of remote driving (RD), specifically focusing on how Human–Machine Interfaces (HMIs) influence the ability of remote operators (ROs) to drive responsibly. While RD is promoted as a solution for urban traffic issues, such as congestion and parking inefficiencies, its potential benefits depend entirely on safe execution. The authors argue that because ROs are physically separated from the vehicle, their access to critical environmental information is mediated by technology. Consequently, the design of HMIs becomes the primary factor determining whether ROs can maintain the Situation Awareness (SA) necessary for responsible decision-making. The study is motivated by the need to clarify how technological mediation impacts the exercise of responsibility, particularly in complex urban environments shared with vulnerable road users. To investigate this, the authors employ a multidisciplinary framework combining engineering, interaction studies, and the philosophy of technology, specifically the theory of technological mediation. This theory posits that technology co-shapes human experience through a structure of amplification (making certain aspects easier to perceive or act upon) and reduction (making others more difficult). The paper applies this lens to analyze current and emerging HMIs, categorizing them into three macro-groups based on the sensory information they mediate: visual (video), auditory (audio), and haptic (physical forces). The analysis evaluates how these interfaces transform the driving experience compared to regular driving, identifying which perceptual elements are amplified or reduced and how these changes affect the RO’s cognitive load and capacity for responsible action. The study focuses on direct remote control in urban settings, identified as the most problematic configuration for safety and responsibility. The findings reveal that while RD amplifies the ability to control vehicles across distances, it significantly reduces direct access to environmental cues, necessitating that SA be constructed entirely through interface design. The analysis highlights that visual, auditory, and haptic interfaces each present specific opportunities and pitfalls. For instance, while screens provide visual data, they may reduce peripheral awareness or depth perception compared to natural vision. Similarly, audio and haptic feedback must be carefully balanced to prevent cognitive overload while ensuring critical information is not lost. The authors conclude that no single interface type is sufficient; rather, responsible RD requires finely tuned, multi-sensory HMI designs that strategically amplify relevant information while minimizing reductions in critical perceptual data. The significance of this work lies in its introduction of "responsible remote driving" as a distinct ethical issue and its provision of a novel methodological framework for evaluating HMI effectiveness. By linking interface design directly to the exercise of responsibility, the paper argues that multi-sensory interface design and dedicated training are critical presuppositions for safe RD. The authors suggest that this framework can structure future empirical inquiries, guiding the development of RD systems that not only optimize traffic flows but also ensure the ethical and safe integration of remote operators into urban mobility ecosystems.

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• teleoperation remote driving