Jaguar Land Rover has unveiled a driverless pod
fitted with large, human-like eyes ,which it hopes will overcome one of the
biggest challenges presented by autonomous vehicles. In recent times, technology
companies and car manufacturers have been struggling with how self-driving
vehicles will interact with pedestrians, particularly when it comes to
pedestrian crossings. Whereas human drivers can make eye contact and gesture
towards pedestrians to let them know they can cross, autonomous cars cannot do
this.
Jaguar Land Rover’s mobility division is conducting
a study to see if its large eyes, capable of fixing upon a pedestrian and
letting them know when it is safe to cross, gives people enough confidence to
cross in front of a car without a human operator behind the wheel.
The automaker’s study will take place on a
fabricated street scene in Coventry in the UK and involve cognitive
psychologists who will analyze how people react before and after they make eye
contact with the driverless pod.
According to studies cited by Jaguar Land Rover, up
to 63% of pedestrians and cyclists would feel less safe with self-driving
vehicles on the road.
