The memorandum comes alongside existing talks with the International Organization of Standardization and the Society of Automotive Engineers to create a common interface. Ford is unsurprisingly partial to its own flashing light system, but it's willing to change fundamental aspects of the design so long as the intent is "readily understandable."

It's too soon to say if automakers and self-driving tech developers will bite. These companies serve countries with varying road rules and cultural expectations, and they might not be ready to settle on a single worldwide language. However, there's little doubt that some kind of harmony is necessary -- no one wants the kind of confusion that could lead to a collision.