Mitsubishi Electric Corp. has announced a directional-indicator system that illuminates road surfaces at night to inform pedestrians and other drivers of a vehicle's intended path forward/backward, or when turning, opening doors or making emergency stops.

Projections signal an open door, forward movement and reverse movement. Image source: Mitsubishi. The system projects large animated illuminations onto road surfaces to help pedestrians understand the driver's intentions. Mitsubishi says the technology is expected to help avoid road accidents.

The company also says that research by the Institute for Traffic Accident Research and Data Analysis says that 70% of pedestrian fatalities on roads happen at night. Market initiatives to use lighting sources for safer roadway environments are expected to increase from $6.3 billion in 2013 to $10 billion by 2022, according to the Fuji Chimera Research Institute, Inc. In particular, Mitsubishi says that small, affordable LEDs are expected to be used in increasingly sophisticated lighting systems.

News Articles:

Delayed Test of Mitsubishi Jet Now Set for October

MHI Books Orders for Liquefied Natural Gas Carriers

Mitsubishi Heavy Completes Wireless Power Transmission Tests