Car maker Jaguar Land Rover has come up with a new system to help make self-driving vehicles safer for other road users. It has developed new technology that will project the direction of travel of an autonomous vehicle on to the road in front so other drivers and pedestrians know what the car will do next.

The system projects a series of lines or bars with adjustable spacing to indicate braking and speed. The lines also fan out to show if the vehicle is turning left or right. JLR have developed the system because over 40% of pedestrians and other road users have expressed concerns about sharing the road with driverless cars.

Pete Bennett, future mobility research manager at JLR, 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.”