Fraunhofer Institute for Industrial Engineering IAO
Fraunhofer Institute for Industrial Engineering IAO

“2049: Zeitreise Mobilität” a multimedia project with the German regional broadcaster Hessischer Rundfunk

A virtual journey to the future of mobility in Germany and the U.S.

© Fraunhofer IAO (links)/© expanding focus GmbH 2019 (rechts)

Experts

“This project gives us an opportunity to gauge user acceptance using a virtual-reality-based survey method. The use of VR enables respondents to completely immerse themselves in various future scenarios. This enables them to tell us what they think based directly on their personal impressions.” Patrick Ruess, project leader
(on the right: Spatial concept of the city of Frankfurt in 2049.)
© expanding focus GmbH 2019

Project outline

Drones that transport passengers in the city of the future.
© expanding focus GmbH 2019

Project outline

On the left: Possible vehicle models from the city of the future.
On the right: The interior of an autonomous vehicle with which the test persons travel in the city of the future.

Challenge

In a contribution to Deutschlandjahr USA, a collaborative initiative to promote German-American friendship, the German regional broadcaster Hessischer Rundfunk (hr) is taking a closer look at the future of mobility in the two countries. “2049: Zeitreise Mobilität” aims to survey and categorize the various views on this topic from the perspective of users and experts. The investigation will focus particularly on the role of technological innovations and their acceptance among users.

Method

The investigation will employ a virtual-reality- (VR-) based survey method. Test persons will be asked to watch a VR film that will be screened at various events in Germany and the U.S. Wearing a VR headset, viewers will embark on a journey through time to the year 2049, to German and U.S. cities that have been recreated as virtual walk-in environments. Test persons will then be asked to complete a survey on their impressions of these virtual worlds. Alongside this VR-based survey, experts from both countries will be asked to describe their own vision for the mobility of the future.

Result

In a final study, the Fraunhofer Institute for Industrial Engineering IAO will draw up a future vision for Germany and the U.S., and will map out the similarities and differences between the two scenarios. To conclude the study, a TV documentary to be shown by Franco-German broadcaster Arte will present the findings of the survey of test persons and experts and compare them with the results from similar research projects around the world.