Making roads a safer place is what researchers have been attempting for years. Improved technology has certainly helped but a more unusual experiment has scientists attaching a large pair of googly eyes to the front of a self-driving vehicle.
According to the researchers, the roving pair of peepers is supposed to give people standing by the road a clearer idea of whether or not they’ve been seen by the vehicle. This will help improve pedestrian safety by giving them an easier time determining the perfect moment to cross in front of oncoming traffic.
“If the car is not looking at the pedestrian, this implies that the car does not recognize the pedestrian,” researchers said. “Thus, pedestrians can judge that they should not cross the street, thereby avoiding potential traffic accidents.”
These “gazing cars” have the potential to cut down the number of traffic accidents significantly, as well as help pedestrians feel safer while navigating the roads.
During this specific study, researchers used a golf buggy rigged as if there was no one inside. A pair of large, swiveling eyes on the front were controlled by researchers but they could eventually be controlled by the car’s AI on an actual self-driving vehicle.
Experiments were conducted in virtual reality, with the 18 volunteers asked to determine whether or not to cross the road as the cart approached. Four scenarios were tested: two when the cart was fitted with eyes and two when it wasn’t.
It was determined that overall, the presence of the eyes led to safer and smoother crossing experiences for the participants involved. Gender, age and background also had an effect on the final results of the experiment.
Sure, oversized cartoon eyes might be a bit much but the study was a good way to figure out the type of research that is needed to better understand how pedestrians and self-driving vehicles interact before they hit the road.