It has been reported that the accident rate while driving a car is lower when there is one passenger than when driving alone. This phenomenon is explained as the “passenger effect.” It is believed that the passenger effect can be achieved with robotic agents in the same way as with humans. There are two types of agent presentation methods: those that exist as physical entities in the real world and those that exist as computer graphics in virtual space. In this study, we investigated the effects of physical and cyber agents as passengers on drivers from the perspective of the impressions they give and the awareness of safe driving. The results showed that physical agents are perceived by drivers as more “friendly” and “pleasant” than cyber agents, and that cyber agents are more likely to be ignored by drivers while driving than physical agents. Furthermore, the results of the safe driving awareness survey suggested that the mere presence of agents, regardless of the presentation method, may improve drivers' safe driving awareness.
KAEDE et al. (Wed,) studied this question.