Driver disguised like a seat was for Ford’s self-driving car research

Author: Sasha Lekach / Source: Mashable

That man who dressed as a car seat to make it look like he was in a self-driving car last year was, in fact, not a terrible Halloween costume, but part of a study for Ford’s self-driving cars.

At the time, pesky reporters quickly uncovered that the

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Image: ford

This all came out this week when Ford released its self-driving safety report, in which it explained how the “simulated” autonomous experiences with the disguised driver in a seat suit led to its windshield light bar, which lights up with different patterns to show what it the car is doing. A back-and-forth white light means the car is yielding. When the car is about to go, the white light quickly blinks. Ford said it’s trying to find a way to communicate that doesn’t use text.

Image: ford

Once cars are machine-driven, any pedestrian-driver communication gets a lot harder. So how does a woman walking or a kid biking check in with a car to know it’s safe to cross the street?

That’s where Ford’s “language” comes in. Ford’s been testing the light bar for more than 180 hours and in 2,300 miles in urban areas — that’s a lot of time in that suit.

Along with details on the light bar to communicate vehicle “intent,” Ford laid…

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