Pedestrian Behavior in Static and Dynamic Virtual Road Crossing Experiments

Virtual studies involving pedestrians have gained relevance due to the advantage of not exposing them to actual risk, and simulation setups have benefitted from rapid technical advancements, becoming increasingly complex and immersive. However, it remains unclear whether complex setups affecting participants’ freedom of movement impact their decision-making. This research evaluated the effects of a more realistic approach to studying pedestrian crossing behavior by comparing a perception-action task requiring participants to walk effectively along a semi-virtual crosswalk with a similar experiment using static crossing conditions. Using a CAVE system, two real-world streets were modeled in two different virtual scenarios, varying vehicle speed patterns and distance from the crosswalk. Visual stimuli were presented to two groups of 30 participants, with auditory stimuli adapted accordingly. The impact of various factors on participants’ crossing decisions was evaluated by examining the percentage of crossings, crossing start time, and time-to-passage. Overall, the experimental approach did not significantly affect participants’ crossing decisions.