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Ford Wants Cars to Communicate With Pedestrians

Allowing cars to communicate with pedestrians and making them aware of the next actions could improve road safety, according to a Ford patent.
Ford wants its cars to be smarter 6 photos
Photo: Bogdan Popa/autoevolution/Ford
Ford patent drawingFord patent drawingFord patent drawingFord patent drawingFord patent drawing
The carmaker developed a system that can detect pedestrians, determine their intentions, and then act accordingly.

Ford's brilliant idea sounds like rocket science, but the company says it wouldn't use any revolutionary gear. In fact, the tech required to make this happen is fitted on cars already.

For example, thanks to onboard cameras, a self-driving car would observe the pedestrian’s gaze direction. This way, the vehicle can predict their next action, such as crossing the street.

Ford explains that based on the prediction, the car can then decide what to do, with all actions designed to also inform the road user.

Case in point, a self-driving vehicle approaches a crosswalk. A nearby pedestrian looks at it and then checks out the road for incoming traffic. The vehicle equipped with this system uses onboard cameras to analyze the pedestrian’s gaze and movements. After processing the data, the vehicle determines that the pedestrian wants to cross the street.

It engages the brakes to stop before the crosswalk. To inform the pedestrian about its actions, the vehicle can adjust the color or direction of the vehicle. For instance, it can turn the lamp green or direct a beam of the lamp along the crosswalk.

This way, the pedestrian can know it’s safe to cross the road, as the vehicle predicted and analyzed their movements accurately. After the pedestrian reaches the other side of the road, the vehicle can accelerate to continue the trip.

Ford explains a vehicle’s response to the predicted behavior can be tweaked to adjust it to different scenarios. For example, if the pedestrian looks at the crosswalk, but changes their mind and walks away, the vehicle can turn the color of the lamp to red. This indicates that the pedestrian won’t cross the street, and the car can continue the trip.

Nearby road users would therefore be informed the vehicle wouldn't stop. As such, if the pedestrian changes their mind again and decides to cross the road, the red light would double as a warning.

The American carmaker says the technology could work not only for pedestrians, but also for cyclists and even other conventional vehicles. Eventually, the purpose of the system is to allow autonomous cars to communicate more effectively with nearby road users, essentially improving traffic safety and reducing the risk of accidents by making everybody aware of their actions.

Needless to say, Ford’s technology is currently in an early phase. The patent application is by no means a guarantee it’d enter mass production, so you’d better not hold your breath to see it live.
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 Download: US patent no. 11597314 (PDF)

About the author: Bogdan Popa
Bogdan Popa profile photo

Bogdan keeps an eye on how technology is taking over the car world. His long-term goals are buying an 18-wheeler because he needs more space for his kid’s toys, and convincing Google and Apple that Android Auto and CarPlay deserve at least as much attention as their phones.
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