After testing autonomous pods with virtual eyes to try and build trust with pedestrians, Jaguar Land Rover is now testing driverless vehicles with projectors that show pedestrians where it is going.
Using the same base pod as the trials from last year, the ‘Projection Pod’ comes with a front-mounted projector that shines a graphic onto the ground in front and shows the intentions of the vehicle.
The images on the ground show whether the pod will be stopping or turning – with a series of lines used to display what the vehicle will do next. The lines constantly adjust depending on the speed and movement, with the lines bunching up if the vehicle is slowing down and opening out if the pod intends to accelerate.
The autonomous vehicle is being tested as part of the UK Autodrive research programme, funded by the government, and is being trialled in a mock-up of a street.
Jaguar Land Rover’s Future Mobility research manager, Pete Bennett, said: “The trials are about understanding how much information a self-driving vehicle should share with a pedestrian to gain their trust.
“Just like any new technology, humans have to learn to trust it, and when it comes to autonomous vehicles, pedestrians must have confidence they can cross the road safely. This pioneering research is forming the basis of ongoing development into how self-driving cars will interact with people in the future.”
The Future Mobility team was set up to start the integration of autonomous vehicles into the real-world, after studies found 41 per cent of drivers and pedestrians were concerned about driverless vehicles.
