Unless a cyclist actually bothers to install indicator lights, the only way they can let cars know that they are making a turn is by sticking their hands out to the left or right. This is pretty standard and has been done by cyclists for decades, but unfortunately sometimes drivers might not notice these signals because let’s face it, they’re not as obvious compared to a blinking orange light.However this is something that Google has taken into consideration when designing its self-driving cars. According to Google’s monthly self-driving car report, “Our sensors can detect a cyclist’s’ hand signals as an indication of an intention to make a turn or shift over. Cyclists often make hand signals far in advance of a turn, and our software is designed to remember previous signals from a rider so it can better anticipate a rider’s turn down the road.”
This should hopefully reduce the number of accidents as a result of a driver not paying attention or not noticing a hand signal. Of course this is also assuming that other carmakers adopt Google’s method or introduces something similar. Google’s report also revealed that they have given cyclists a lot of thought and have introduced features designed to be cyclist-friendly.
For example, “We also aim to give cyclists ample buffer room when we pass, and our cars won’t squeeze by when cyclists take the center of the lane, even if there’s technically enough space. Whether the road is too narrow or they’re making a turn, we respect this indication that cyclists want to claim their lane.” Of course it’s still a pretty long way to go before we see self-driving cars become a commercial product, but in the meantime it looks like Google is making some pretty good headway.
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