Self-driving cars are getting better at acting like human drivers in busy traffic. A new system from the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology helps these cars make safer choices. It reduces overall traffic risks by 26.3%, cuts dangers to pedestrians and cyclists by 51.7%, and lowers risks to the cars themselves by 8.3%. This system makes self-driving cars smarter and safer.
Current self-driving cars struggle to handle multiple road users at once. They can only assess risks between pairs, like one car and a pedestrian. Human drivers, however, can manage complex situations, such as protecting pedestrians at a crossing while watching nearby cars. This ability is called social sensitivity, which means understanding and prioritizing the safety of others.
Mimicking human decision-making
To give self-driving cars social sensitivity, researchers created a system inspired by how humans think. It helps cars see, judge, and act like careful drivers. The system has three parts. First, it checks the risk for each road user, like pedestrians or cyclists, by looking at their speed, distance, and behavior. For example, a child near the road is high risk. Second, it prioritizes the safety of vulnerable people, such as yielding to a pedestrian even if the car has the right to go. This adds an ethical approach to decisions. Third, it predicts how the car’s actions affect traffic, like whether changing lanes might cause others to brake suddenly.
The system was tested in 2,000 traffic scenarios. It not only improved safety but also made driving 13.9% faster, showing that safer driving can be efficient. The system can adapt to different countries’ rules and driving habits, making it useful worldwide. For example, some places focus on protecting pedestrians, while others prioritize smooth traffic flow.
This study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, involved researchers from several universities. The next steps include building a large dataset of driving patterns and working with partners to test the system further. This technology brings self-driving cars closer to thinking like humans, making roads safer for everyone.