Development of an Interactive Assessment Tool for Universally-Designed Autonomous Vehicles

Autonomous vehicles (AVs) have the potential to enable independent travel for people with disabilities, yet standardized tools for evaluating the accessibility, usability, and perceived safety of universally-designed, wheelchair-accessible AVs are lacking. This study discusses the development of an interactive assessment tool aimed at addressing this gap. The tool gathers both subjective perceptions and objective performance data across five sections: demographic information, pre-vehicle interaction survey, AV interaction tasks, post-interaction survey, and system usability ratings. By applying both qualitative and quantitative analyses, the tool provides a holistic view of user interactions with key vehicle components. Currently in the validation phase, this tool will soon be tested on real AVs, initially focusing on individuals with mobility impairments. This work seeks to contribute to inclusive AV design standards and provides a scalable method to support the development of more accessible transportation technologies for diverseuser populations.