Future Mobility Project 1 (2024-2025)
Reliv: An interaction design to help relieve people’s discomfort in AVs
Other team members: Stijn Wuite; Lisanne Verbeet; Tylor Tian
Introduction
This study focuses on a core design question: in mixed-traffic scenarios where Level 4–5 autonomous vehicles (AVs) coexist with manually driven vehicles over the long term, how can interaction design be used to alleviate the discomfort experienced by AV passengers during sudden emergency braking? The research background highlights that the development of autonomous driving technology has shifted the focus of in-vehicle design from driving tasks to passengers’ non-driving activities. However, unforeseen incidents in mixed-traffic environments—such as other vehicles cutting in abruptly—can trigger sudden acceleration or deceleration of AVs, causing passengers to experience fear, anxiety and a sense of insecurity. The target group for this study comprises non-licensed daily commuters travelling in AVs; as they are unfamiliar with traffic rules and do not need to pay attention to road conditions, they are more likely to be startled during sudden braking. To this end, the team adopted the Reflective Transformation Design Process (RTDP) as a methodological framework, progressing through three rounds of iteration—from the ‘Embrace Concept’ (surrounding LED light strip + pressure ball) to the ‘Handle Concept’ (non-Newtonian fluid grip on the centre console + blue-to-purple gradient lighting), and finally to the solution ‘Reliv’—a portable, modular grip extender. Reliv features a soft, translucent fabric outer layer, filled with a non-Newtonian fluid (which hardens under pressure to provide a firm grip and softens when pressure is released to offer tactile relief), and incorporates slow-flashing blue LED lights (based on research in colour psychology indicating that ‘blue has the greatest stress-relieving effect’). It provides a visual warning through the lights prior to emergency braking and tactile relief through the grip. The design allows users to position it on the dashboard, door handle or any preferred location according to personal preference, combining personalisation with universal applicability. The core contribution of this design lies in the first-ever combination of the haptic properties of non-Newtonian fluids with visual pre-warning from blue LEDs, applied to the scenario of alleviating passenger discomfort during emergency braking in autonomous vehicles. It validates the feasibility of a dual-modal intervention strategy comprising ‘haptic relief and visual anticipation’, whilst providing a low-cost, mass-producible and cross-vehicle-compatible portable design solution, thereby opening up new directions for future autonomous vehicle passenger experience design.
Video of design
Pictures of design
Pictorial download
Five-Dimensional Reflection
Business and Entrepreneurship
The portability and modular nature of the design offer clear commercial advantages—no vehicle modifications are required, it is compatible across different vehicle models, and costs are manageable—giving it the potential to become a consumer product in the aftermarket. However, the study did not include any systematic analysis of commercial aspects, and users’ willingness to pay and perceived value remain unknown.
Creativity and Aesthetics
The research demonstrates a high degree of conceptual innovation at the creative level: by combining the tactile properties of non-Newtonian fluids with scenarios for alleviating passenger discomfort in autonomous vehicles, and introducing blue, breathing lights as a visual cue, it has formed a unique ‘light-touch bimodal’ interactive language. The application of Cross-Modal Correspondence (CC) theory—where rounded, soft shapes combined with the colour blue evoke a sense of relaxation—provides a theoretical basis for the design aesthetic choices.
Math, Data and Computing
The study visualised heatmaps of hand placement at the data level; however, it did not employ inferential statistical methods (such as t-tests or analysis of variance) to verify whether the differences in comfort levels under different conditions (no prototype/LED/full-function) were statistically significant.
Technology and Realization
In terms of technical implementation, the research underwent three rounds of physical prototype iterations: studies on 3D-printed TPU shapes, experiments with non-Newtonian fluid fillings, programming of Arduino-driven LED lighting, and in-vehicle integration testing within the car’s interior environment. By comparing the haptic experiences of soft silicone and non-Newtonian fluids, the research validated the technical effectiveness of ‘hardening under pressure and softening upon release’ dynamic haptic feedback in alleviating discomfort. The portable design allows the prototype to be flexibly positioned in various locations within the vehicle, thereby lowering the barriers to technical integration.
User and Society
Focusing on a specific social group—passengers in autonomous vehicles (AVs) without driving licences—this study systematically explored passengers’ psychological experiences and behavioural responses during sudden braking through scenario storyboards, bodystorming simulations and real-world in-vehicle user testing. The research found that participants ‘instinctively sought something to grip’ during emergency braking; this insight directly drove the design iteration from a ‘stress ball’ to a ‘grip extender’. At a societal level, the study addresses the issue of experiential equity for ‘vulnerable users’ (those unfamiliar with driving regulations) in the widespread adoption of autonomous driving technology, demonstrating a high degree of humanistic concern.
Copyright © 2026 Liu Xinyue Portfolio – All rights reserved.