As part of our mission to promote walkability internationally, we attend the UNECE Global Forum for Road Traffic Safety’s (WP1) twice annual sessions in Geneva, Switzerland. At WP1, we draw from our specialized background to elevate walking as a legitimate use of public space and to support and encourage people worldwide to choose to walk.
At the 92nd WP1 session in March, the International Automotive and Light Signalling Expert Group (GTB) attended to introduce and seek feedback about the proposal for new light signalling technology called Directional Intention Projection (DIP). DIP proposes the use of lights to project a visual signal (chevrons) onto the road or nearby surfaces to show the driver/vehicle’s intended movement. DIP would be in addition to traditional indicators (AKA “turn signals,” “blinkers,” etc.).
While GTB says the aim of DIP is to make a vehicle’s intentions clearer, particularly for “vulnerable road users like pedestrians”, it raises several concerns about how this might actually work in practice. A few of our concerns include:
- Reliance on early-stage evidence: The research presented is more proof-of-concept than regulatory-ready evidence. While it shows some improvement in detecting turning intent in controlled conditions, pedestrian behavioural reactions have not been examined.
- Shifting responsibility onto pedestrians: Pedestrians already often behave defensively, even when they have legal priority. Rather than strengthening existing right-of-way rules, the introduction of this kind of signal could – even if unintentionally- reinforce the idea that pedestrians must interpret driver behaviour and adapt their behaviour accordingly.
- Lack of standardisation in signal projection: Because the light projection would be displayed on whatever surface is available (road, pavement, crossings, etc.), visibility and clarity could vary quite a bit depending on the environment and time of day.
GTB is an international expert group that brings together automotive manufacturers, lighting specialists, and regulators to focus on vehicle lighting and signalling advancements. Their work feeds into international regulations, so what they present can eventually influence standards globally. In this case, they are seeking regulatory approval from UNECE World Forum for Harmonization of Vehicle Regulations’ (WP29) needed for vehicle manufacturers to install DIP, and we have concerns.
To elevate our concerns to the WP29 regulatory body, we coordinated with the European Cyclists’ Federation to submit a joint letter, detailing our concerns and recommending that they refrain from regulating this technology until there’s stronger evidence and a clearer understanding of the implications.