Rethinking External Communication of Autonomous Vehicles: Is the Field Converging, Diverging, or Stalling?
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arXiv
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| Format: | Preprint |
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2026
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| _version_ | 1866914308959502336 |
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| author | Tran, Tram Thi Minh Dey, Debargha Tomitsch, Martin |
| author_facet | Tran, Tram Thi Minh Dey, Debargha Tomitsch, Martin |
| contents | As autonomous vehicles enter public spaces, external human-machine interfaces are proposed to support communication with external road users. A decade of research has produced hundreds of studies and reviews, yet it remains unclear whether the field is converging on shared principles or diverging across approaches. We present a multi-dimensional analysis of 620 publications, complemented by industry deployments and regulatory documents, to track research evolution and identify convergence. The analysis reveals several field-level patterns. First, convergence on a safety-first core: simple visual cues that clarify intent. Second, sustained divergence in necessity and implementation. Third, a progressive filtering funnel: broad exploration in research and concepts narrows in deployment and is codified by regulation into a minimal set of permitted signals. These insights point to a shift in emphasis for future work, from producing new prototypes toward consolidating evidence, clarifying points of contention, and developing frameworks that can adapt across contexts. |
| format | Preprint |
| id |
arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2602_06278 |
| institution | arXiv |
| publishDate | 2026 |
| record_format | arxiv |
| spellingShingle | Rethinking External Communication of Autonomous Vehicles: Is the Field Converging, Diverging, or Stalling? Tran, Tram Thi Minh Dey, Debargha Tomitsch, Martin Human-Computer Interaction As autonomous vehicles enter public spaces, external human-machine interfaces are proposed to support communication with external road users. A decade of research has produced hundreds of studies and reviews, yet it remains unclear whether the field is converging on shared principles or diverging across approaches. We present a multi-dimensional analysis of 620 publications, complemented by industry deployments and regulatory documents, to track research evolution and identify convergence. The analysis reveals several field-level patterns. First, convergence on a safety-first core: simple visual cues that clarify intent. Second, sustained divergence in necessity and implementation. Third, a progressive filtering funnel: broad exploration in research and concepts narrows in deployment and is codified by regulation into a minimal set of permitted signals. These insights point to a shift in emphasis for future work, from producing new prototypes toward consolidating evidence, clarifying points of contention, and developing frameworks that can adapt across contexts. |
| title | Rethinking External Communication of Autonomous Vehicles: Is the Field Converging, Diverging, or Stalling? |
| topic | Human-Computer Interaction |
| url | https://arxiv.org/abs/2602.06278 |