# Visual Communication Vehicles 'The Smiling Car' Lets Pedestrians Know When it's Safe to Cross By Michael Hemsworth | Published 2016-09-19 | Autos Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/smiling-car References: [newatlas](http://newatlas.com/semcon-self-driving-smiling-car/45484/) & [semcon](http://semcon.com/smilingcar/) A large number of pedestrians will make eye contact with a driver before they cross the street, which becomes an issue with autonomous vehicles that 'The Smiling Car' looks to solve. Created by Semcon, the vehicle features a display system on the front grille section that displays a neutral bar when the vehicle is in operation. When the vehicle comes to a stop at a crosswalk or other [pedestrian crossing](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/polis), the display shifts to create a smile that lets pedestrians know that the vehicle sees them and that it's safe to cross. 'The Smiling Car' solves one of the newly created problems that has come about from the implementation of [new technological innovations](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/automotive-ai-technology) such as autonomous vehicles. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 4.4/10 - Popularity: 71% | Activity: 52% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: Europe ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Autos](https://www.trendhunter.com/autos) ## Key Themes ### What Makes This Trend Stand Out - **Autonomous Vehicles:** 'The Smiling Car' addresses the issue of pedestrians lacking eye contact with autonomous vehicles, highlighting the trend of improving communication and trust between pedestrians and self-driving cars. - **Visual Display Systems:** 'The Smiling Car' uses a display system on the front grille section to communicate with pedestrians, showcasing the trend of incorporating visual communication technologies in transportation. - **Pedestrian Safety:** 'The Smiling Car' aims to improve pedestrian safety by providing a clear indication for pedestrians to safely cross, reflecting the trend of prioritizing pedestrian well-being in smart vehicle technology. ### Sectors Adopting This - **Automotive:** 'The Smiling Car' offers a disruptive innovation opportunity within the automotive industry by addressing the communication gap between autonomous vehicles and pedestrians. - **Technology:** 'The Smiling Car' presents an opportunity for technological advancements in visual communication systems for transportation, revolutionizing the way autonomous vehicles interact with pedestrians. - **Urban Planning:** 'The Smiling Car' has potential implications for urban planning as it contributes to the development of safer and more pedestrian-friendly cities by enhancing communication between vehicles and pedestrians. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [AI-Animated Vehicles](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/faraday-fx-super-one.md) - [Emoting-Grille Car Concepts](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/i-vision-dee.md) - [Smiling Package Delivery Robots](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/coop-delivery-robot.md) - [Interactive LED Display Vehicles](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/hiphi-z.md) - [Polite Driver Communication Lights](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/sorry-thanks-car-sign.md) - [Autonomous Senior Citizen Vehicles](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/project-black-box.md) - [Predictive Autonomous Vehicle Features](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/verses-ai.md) - [Connected Vehicular Safety Systems](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/audi-cv2x-technology.md) - [Cartoonish In-Car Connectivity Robots](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/car-robot.md)