Drivers may start seeing cyan-colored lights along the nation’s roadways to alert motorists they are sharing the road with an autonomously operated vehicle.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) proposed new lighting requirements that would give vehicles operating autonomously without a human occupant the option to use the bright blue-green lights, according to TechCrunch.
The proposal would not mandate cyan-colored lights. They would only be used when a vehicle is operating in autonomous mode.
Under the proposal, the equipment specifications would include where the lights are mounted, the color they emit and how they are activated. Requirements for manually operated controls for turn signals, high beams and hazard lights would be eliminated.
NHTSA suggests that the lights remain steadily illuminated rather than flash and be visible on all sides of the vehicle, TechCrunch reported.
Jonathan Morrison, NHTSA administrator, said that the proposal is part of a larger push to accelerate autonomous vehicle adoption while maintaining safety.
The agency is working on a federal automated vehicle framework and updating federal motor vehicle safety standards, which already establish safety requirements for automakers. The framework for traditional motor vehicles was not designed for autonomous vehicles, which may lack required equipment such as pedals and steering wheels.
Source: TechCrunch
