Documentation_IxR_Lewandowski

IxR
Primary Research
Interview with Eric
37, New York
Why are you not able to achieve your desired state?
Why are you always late?
I can’t get around. I am always late.
Would you prefer your own car or public transportation?
I would prefer my own car then I could decide when and
where I should go and wouldn’t need to deal with crowds.
What do you do then?
I ask my friend to bring me places. He is a wheelchair user as well.
It takes forever to get started. Him and me switch from
wheelchairs to the seats. Break down the wheelchair. Put it in the
back. Sometimes he is not available.
I try to get public transportation. But I often have troubles.
Sometimes I have to look for accessible subway stations with
elevators. Sometimes there is no free spot during the rush hours. I
often give up and go home. It is discouraging and exhausting.
Why don’t you have your own car with special controls?
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To drive a modified car I need a special training. It costs time and
requires money. Then I need to find the parts I need to rebuild my
car. It is expensive, needs time and research. I think it is
complicated. I don’t even want to deal with it.
Do you think self driving cars would give
you a chance to be on time?
Will the autonomous car solve your
independence problem and a time problem?
Yes, a car is not a human being that I could bother. I can
always ask it to bring me places.
Yes, but will they be also accessible? Will I have to
break down my wheelchair or will I be able to just get
in and start riding? Will every autonomous car have an
accessible ramp? Will be there enough space for me
to turn around or to store my wheelchair? Will I have a
safe spot there? Will I be able to interact with the
interior?
Sofia Lewandowski | MFA Interaction Design | College for Creative Studies | Detroit