The automated car that is pleased to see you

Most pedestrians seek eye contact with the driver when they cross the street, but this will no be longer possible with self-driving cars. Could the answer be to give the cars a human face?

Semcon, a Swedish technology company believes so and has developed The Smiling Car concept where the self-driving car communicates by smiling at other road users.

An international survey conducted by Semcon, carried out in partnership with research company Inizio, revealed that eight out of ten pedestrians sought eye contact with the driver when they cross the street. Some 47% of respondents answered that they do not trust self-driving cars.

“A lot of the discussions regarding self-driving cars are about the car’s technology. But how these vehicles will interact with unprotected road users is just as important. Self-driving cars need to communicate in a way that feels familiar and creates trust,” says Karin Eklund, who is responsible for user experience at Semcon.

“The strength behind The Smiling Car is that we allow people to communicate in the way they are used to, instead of taking an unnecessary detour via technology,” said Eklund.

The Smiling Car is a concept where self-driving cars interact with pedestrian traffic by smiling, a message that is readily understood by everyone. When the self-driving car’s sensors detect a pedestrian, a signal is sent to a display at the front and a smile lights up that confirms that the car will stop at a safe distance.

Eklund says the next step is refining The Smiling Car, with systems for eye tracking and laser technology, known as Lidar, for a more detailed analysis of the surrounding environment. This would make it possible to perceive small head movements or read the eyes to create an even safer interaction between humans and cars.

The Smiling Car is the first step in a long-term process in which Semcon, together with research institute Viktoria Swedish ICT and partners in the automotive industry, wants to create a global standard on how self-driving cars communicate with their surroundings.

Markus Granlund, president and CEO at Secon, added: “Today there are clear agreements on how cars must indicate when changing lanes. We now need to develop a common language for how self-driving cars will interact with pedestrians.”