Mercedes-Benz’s autonomous car will let passersby know what it is
Mercedes-Benz has developed a new way to let passersby know whether a vehicle is autonomous or being operated by a human driver.
The German automaker says people feel more comfortable around autonomous vehicles if they are clearly marked, and so is developing a new system that will allow pedestrians to immediately tell if a vehicle is self-driving.
To better communicate with people outside the vehicle, Mercedes-Benz’s “Co-Operative Car” has been fitted with sensors, turquoise lights, and speakers.
The company says it chose turquoise because the colour currently isn’t being used by any other part of the transportation industry (and it’s part of its racing team liveries) and would like to see it become the standard for the technology across the board.
The car can sense when it has people around it, and communicates with the person using the lights and sounds. For example, if somebody were to approach the front of the car, lights on the top of the vehicle would “follow” the person like eyes, to let them know that the vehicle sees them.
If the car notices a person is not paying attention while the vehicle is moving, it can make a sound to notify them. Lights on the rear of the vehicle can also alert approaching pedestrians if the car plans to move.
Mercedes-Benz plans to display the Co-Operative Car prototype around the world to promote its autonomous driving technology.