Driving With Empathy: Understanding Novice Drivers’ Emotional Needs in Interaction With In-Vehicle AI Systems

As artificial intelligence (AI) becomes increasingly embedded in intelligent vehicles, emotion-aware human–vehicle interaction (HVI) systems have the potential to support drivers not only functionally but also emotionally. However, most existing in-vehicle AI systems are designed for experienced users, often overlooking the emotional stress and learning needs of novice drivers. This study explores novice drivers’ perceptions, expectations, and affective experiences when interacting with emotional AI in driving contexts. Through semi-structured interviews with 20 novice drivers and thematic analysis, it is revealed that novice drivers’ needs for in-vehicle AI systems mainly focus on four aspects: situational awareness, behavioral guidance, emotional support, and interaction preferences. The findings reveal that novice drivers expect intelligent systems to provide functional assistance, along with empathetic support and adaptive interaction that responds to their emotional states. This study contributes to a deeper understanding of human–AI interaction in driving contexts by highlighting how emotional safety and perceived empathy influence user trust and engagement. The insights offer practical guidance for designing adaptive and empathetic in-vehicle intelligent systems.