The Significance of the Bystander Effect on Personal Responsibility in Critical Situations in Shared Automated Vehicles

Shared Automated Vehicles (SAVs) present a promising solution for future urban mobility. However, SAVs will reach the limits of their capabilities in some edge cases. Similar to personal AVs, passengers in SAVs might be utilized for this purpose, thus, methods for interaction between passengers and the automation or a teleoperator need to be explored. This study investigates whether the presence of other passengers leads to more passive behavior in critical situations (bystander effect). The results did not show significant differences in the participants' behavior depending on whether the ride was experienced alone or with other passengers. However, the qualitative data indicate that the presence of other passengers can trigger psychological processes that promote a bystander effect. The findings emphasize the importance of considering group effects in the context of SAVs. By understanding these dynamics, we aim to help design SAVs to promote safer and more inclusive future transport systems.