Enhancing the mental health through a multisensorial experience in the vehicle interior
Authors: Braun Franziska , Hergül Koray , Bachofer Alina , Bolius Katharina , Ardilio Antonio 
Published: November 2024

Mental health is becoming increasingly important in today's society. More and more people are turning to mindfulness exercises, relaxation techniques, and sports to unwind, alleviate stress, and enhance resilience. However, amidst the stress of daily life and the constant demands of work, family, and leisure activities, many individuals still struggle to find time to nurture their mental well-being. An often-overlooked opportunity to do so lies in daily commuting. In German cities, daily commute times can reach up to 60 minutes due to traffic jam and heavy traffic. This time can be used more effectively, especially with the increasing automation of vehicles, to focus on the personal health. In order to investigate this potential, an innovative multisensory experience was developed for the vehicle interior of a ride-hailing vehicle to promote mental health. This experience was implemented in a real vehicle and examined for its efficacy in a user study. To shape the experience, insights from psychology, environmental psychology, and design research were combined to respond to the passenger's emotional and physical states during the journey. The approach is based on chromotherapy, where different light colors and intensities are used to reduce physical and mental illnesses. Furthermore, an acoustic guidance for a breathing exercise, based on the success of Pranayama practice, was developed to be practiced simultaneously by the passenger, along with a haptic element on the belt, which further enhances the emotions during the experience. The immersive experience is individualized based on an analysis of the LIMBIC types, i.e. personality models, in order to achieve the greatest possible relaxation effect.The research methodology included comprehensive literature review on existing concepts and technologies, expert interviews with both light and sound designers as well as psychologists, and two quantitative user surveys to gather requirements and define specific design elements of a holistic immersive experience. Based on the preliminary work and findings of a previous study on light combined with a breathing exercise to enhance mental health, a multisensory concept was developed and integrated into a Hyundai Ioniq 5. To achieve this, legroom on the rear bench was expanded, the driver's cabin was shielded, flexible LED panels were attached to the back of the front seats, and a 360-degree sound system was integrated. Additionally, a belt concept was designed, equipped with vibration sensors that can transmit controlled haptic impulses to the passenger during the journey. To test the success of the designed experience, a qualitative user study was conducted with 12 participants. For this purpose, a travel scenario was recreated, which all passengers had to go through. Before and after the journey, the participants were interviewed about their well-being during the entire testing period. In parallel, the vital data heartbeat and electrodermal activity were collected through a wearable device (wristband) in order to compare them with the personal assessments. The results of the ongoing study will be presented in the full paper. In summary, based on the previous interviews and quantitative user studies, there is a need for applications to improve mental health. There is also a demand to use commuting times more effectively for personal well-being, particularly in the future with automated driving. The positive effects that have already been achieved in the areas of light and sound interaction as well as breathing exercises for relaxation also speak in favor of a combination of the principles. After conducting and analyzing the user study with the prototype, the insights into the success of the immersive multisensory experience will be presented in the final version of the scientific work. In conclusion, this paper emphasizes the importance of design innovations in the field of mobility that prioritize the psychological well-being of users. The research illustrates that by skillfully combining technology and design psychology, vehicle interiors can be created that actively contribute to mental health and thus provide added value to society.