Skoda Showcases Grille Display That Will Make Crossing The Road Easier For Pedestrians

Skoda has some interesting tech in the works, which promises to make pedestrian crossing easier. As part of its research, the auto maker is developing a new grille display that will signal to pedestrians if they can cross the road safely or not, depending on the approaching vehicle’s speed. This system will have a new design, featuring LED strip holders, and can be controlled by the user to create different animations. The symbols currently being tested include green arrows and a green human-like figure, as well as a warning triangle and a red triangle with a cross.

The car's grille display conveys signals for pedestrians waiting to cross the road.

When the car approaches a pedestrian, it can warn those waiting to cross the road in advance, that it has spotted them. It then stops and displays green arrows, signalling that it’s safe to cross the road. Once they have crossed, and the car is about to set off, it can display a different signal to warn other pedestrians that the car is moving again. In other cases, a car approaching a crossing that it will be unable to stop at, can send out a clear signal to pedestrians not to cross.

Skoda is also working on a robotic device that will help people cross the road safely.

This technology is being created in collaboration with experts from the Institute of Informatics, Robotics, and Cybernetics at the Czech Technical University in Prague (CIIRC) and the Technical University of Munich. Another technology that Skoda is developing is a robotic device called the IPA2X, that will help children, seniors, and people with disabilities cross the road safely. This device will function by making its way into the middle of a pedestrian crossing and displaying signals to stop incoming traffic and make way for people to cross. It will then move back to the curb after the pedestrians have crossed.

It is mandatory for drivers to give way to crossing pedestrians in certain European countries.

Skoda's focus on reducing the rate of overall pedestrian injuries on roads and improving safety is evident with these tech innovations. It is also in line with newly introduced regulations in certain European countries, which state that drivers should give way to pedestrians crossing, or waiting to cross a road they are driving into or out of.