A serious game co-creation approach for inclusiveness

Automated vehicles are potential disrupters of the mobility system and are expected to address inclusive mobility issues. Yet, the transition to their full implementation in cities is expected to face numerous challenges. While companies and governments interested in their future implementation have conducted pilots to understand better their implementation in cities, there is still a limited understanding of potential users’ needs. This understanding becomes even more limited when considering vulnerable groups. To address this gap, the authors developed a novel Serious Game named “A Shuttle for Everyone”. It is used as a co-creation method to engage potential users, in this case, older adults in the Noordrand-Brussels region, Belgium. This study case contributes to the co-creation and transport literature as there is scarce research focused on developing new inclusive mobility public services. Three game sessions with older adults took place. The key identified needs are related to comfort, safety, ease of use, and accessibility. The results confirm and complete previous automated vehicle studies. It confirms that the Serious Game as a co-creation method has facilitated anticipatory needs identification. Understanding users’ needs contributes to improving design and can help to create policy recommendations that aim for an inclusive implementation of automated vehicle mobility services.

Supporting evidence

This article is based on the CATAPULT project, and further information about how to conduct a serious game is provided in the data repository. The CATAPULT serious game method was adapted and used for each of the UPPER cities for measure refinement towards more inclusiveness of vulnerable groups. Some of the feedback from the games has been incorporated into measure implementation. 

Key findings

Why use serious games for co-creation

• Avoid the overrepresentation of highly educated citizens in participatory processes.
• The inclusion of gamification elements in public participation helps to increase interest, making participation an engaging experience.
• Co-creation is effective in involving vulnerable groups, including the elderly, children, and people with physical and/or mental disabilities.

How to facilitate inclusiveness

• Co-creation addresses policy areas sensitive to social changes.
• Collaborative storytelling is a flexible method for facilitating discussions on futures involving new technologies.
• Experiential knowledge is acknowledged without requiring specialist scientific expertise.
• The design and development of policy recommendations, supporting more inclusive implementation of autonomous vehicles.

Help people understand what new technology can mean for them (specific findings on introducing autonomous shuttles)

• There are concerns that autonomous vehicles might not be faster, more efficient, nor easier to use (clear benefits).
• Some older adults found autonomous shuttles useful if they covered new routes not currently accessible (increase mobility) -Comfort, safety, ease of use, and accessibility are critical for the acceptance of automated vehicles. (not at the detriment of comfort and safety).
• Slow speed of vehicles was perceived very differently by different age groups

Communication for feeling secure

• Some older adults need guidance at every step.
• Communicating with other road users is important for automated vehicles.
• Despite surveillance concerns, older adults consider cameras important.
• Information on multi-modal routes and bus stops should be available in smartphone apps.
• Easy contact with the operator is important.

Table 7 in the article linked below briefly summarizes the needs under 4 headings: safety, ease of use, accessibility, and comfort.