When self driving cars (SDCs) become as skilled as human driven cars (HDCs), will a “self-driving mode enabled” indicator on these vehicles serve a purpose? As sensors evolve and miniaturize, recognizing an SDC by it’s LIDAR dome or array of sensor will become challenging. Even if vehicles look like an obvious SDC, they may be in manual mode or may not have yet paid for the self-driving feature/subscription. Knowing whether a car is driving autonomously is a guessing game as long as a steering wheel is included or the car is capable of being human driven.

Here are some examples of how a self-driving indicator would be useful:

Traffic enforcement: Road rules enforcement will have to change and the indicator will play a major role. A DUI stop will be treated very differently depending on the mode of the car. And as car manufactures assume liability (Mercedes, Volvo, Google are already stating they will) speeding, toll, or other traffic violations may be ticketed electronically directly to the car manufacturer rather than stopping the occupants. Self driving lanes: Lanes reserved for SDCs will likely be created to improve efficiency, encourage ridesharing and discourage car ownership. In fact it’s already being discussed in Texas, Colorado, Washington, Wisconson, and Florida. This indicator would again, allow enforcement. Caravaning: SDCs will work better when chained. They can operate closer together safely since they can accelerate and brake more intelligently. They’ll also have access to accurate road maps and real-time traffic data, far more accurate than what exists today. SDCs must be able to operate independently of the Internet or communication between cars due to interference or malicious hacking. If this trend continues, SDCs could use the indicator to recognize each other and attempt to chain. Obviously car2car radio-based communication is better than light for various reason but an indicator could suffice. Anticipating Behavior: Human drivers often use subtle cues and preconceptions to profile vehicles based on their make, driver, or condition. While SDCs will be close to perfect drivers, they will follow laws closely. They may follow the speed limit, or exceed it by only some small margin. They may approach a zipper merge more cautiously. Come to a full stop at stop signs. And better respect yellow signaling. An SDC with it’s indicator clearly visible would allow drivers to understand why a certain speed was adhered to, to allow for a more compassionate zipper merge, or anticipate the SDC stopping at a yellow. Defensive Driving: There is a lot to process mentally as one barrels down the highway. An SDC with it’s indicator clearly visible would allow defensive drivers to turn their attention primarily towards HDCs. Lane splitters: It is common place for motorcyclists to drive between lanes in various jurisdictions. Attentive car drivers will often slide away from the approaching lane splitter to make room for them, sometimes dramatically. I have seen some drivers even cross the shoulder to make generous room. Various SDCs will behave differently and conveying this to lane splitters is perhaps important. For example current Teslas with Auto-Pilot enabled don’t veer for lane splitters. An indicator would let defensive motorcyclists expect this. Driver-to-Driver communication: Drivers often communicate with each other non-verbally to convey signaling, appreciation, safety concerns, or frustration. An SDC with it’s indicator enabled would allow drivers to target their messaging differently, or try harder to flag down the inattentive passengers. No passengers: An SDC may not have passengers onboard. That possibility alone is worthy of signaling. For example that indicator would help airport authorities identify a stopped SDC picking up their owner at the airport arrival curb versus a car left unattended. Show it off: Manufacturers will no doubt want to display their autonomous mode to the world like they do with AWD, V6, and Hybrids. As SDCs proliferate, HDCs will become the minority vehicle on the road. This trend will take many decades however the indicator will raise awareness to HDCs that they’re behind the times. The missing indicator on HDCs would also indicate to SDCs to pay special attention, very much like a student driver sticker today. :) Evidence: Knowing if a car was self or human driven during an accident is critical. While SDCs will have an arsenal of blackboxes and dashcams, an indicator would still be useful. Law enforcement officers would want to know at the scene what occurred, perhaps from witnesses or dashcams. This is especially true if the recording or car isn’t available because it’s lost in the water, a ravene, fire, or just plain missing. Case and point. Recording: As alluded to above, self-driving cars will come with an arsenal of sensitive instruments. That indicator would be a warning that all activities, including audio and video, is being recorded. This will also discourage those attempting to maliciously test the limits of SDCs. Disengagement or violations: There may be situations where SDCs are not recommended or allowed. This might be during bad snowy weather, off-roading, or around areas where human control is mandated. Many manufacturers are getting into the SDC game and there will be variation in driving skills. Knowing when an SDC disengages or is enabled in contravention will be key.

And what about the indicator itself, what would it look like, where would it be, and how would internationalization work?

In closing, after considering this list, I can’t imagine the imminent self-driving revolution unfolding without a self-driving indicator!

There are probably many other scenarios that I haven’t thought of and I look forward to hearing your thoughts, growing this list, and hear your counterpoints.

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