A technology aimed at making pedestrians and drivers safer has been announced by Mitsubishi Electric. The directional-indicator system that illuminates road surfaces at night to inform pedestrians and other drivers of a vehicle's intended path (forward/backward), when it will be turning, when a door will be opened, or when it will make emergency stops.
Source: Mitsubishi ElectricThe system projects large animated illuminations onto the road’s surfaces so bystanders or other drivers know exactly what that vehicle will be doing next. The technology is expected to help avoid road accidents while lowering the potential frustration or confusion of nearby drivers and pedestrians.
According to the company, innovative automotive lighting systems are drawing attention with their capability to effectively reduce accidents. Research conducted by the Institute for Traffic Accident Research and Data Analysis shows that 70% of pedestrian fatalities on roads happen at night. Market initiatives using light sources as way to make roads safer are expected to increase from $6.3 billion in 2013 to $10 billion by 2022, according to the Fuji Chimera Research Institute, Inc.
The technology will all stem from small, inexpensive LEDs. Mitsubishi Electric plans to continue developing practical lighting concepts and technologies to further enhance automotive safety and accident prevention. Some features of the new system will be exhibited with Mitsubishi Electric's EMIRAI3 xDAS concept car at the 44th Tokyo Motor Show 2015 in Japan from October 29 to November 8.
To contact the author of this article, email engineering360editors@ihs.com
