A Qualitative Study on the Expectations and Concerns Around Voice and Gesture Interactions in Vehicles

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Multimodal interactions can reduce cognitive load in demanding situations, such as driving \cite{oviatt2004we,nesselrath2013towards,nesselrath2016combining}. While such interfaces are becoming more mainstream in vehicles, knowledge of situational and contextual factors which influence user preferences about these interactions is sparse. Through semi-structured interviews with 15 individuals, we take a scenario-specific look at perceptions, expectations, and concerns of voice, gesture, and multimodal interactions within vehicles. We presented participants with scenarios where cognitive load, social norms, and other situational factors vary greatly, such as heavy-traffic or multiple passengers. We found situational preferences of voice and gesture shifted greatly, and often contradicted broadly stated preferences. For example, users generally prefer touch, but use voice in complex traffic, and prefer gesture around other occupants to not interrupt conversations. Based on our findings, we share design considerations that can help interaction designers account for variations in user preference when designing modally flexible automotive interfaces.