Originally Posted by
CliffordK
If Autonomous Vehicles become a big thing, then I would hope they come up with a good light/transponder system that they'll offer cyclists at a low cost.
Still, the cars will have to avoid kids, dogs, and deer, which may not have the transponders, but I'd be happy if they came out with a device that could substantially reduce an already low risk.
I've read in several literature sources that such transponders are under development, using transmissions similar to WiFi. These have range of 100's of meters, if not a km or two. So perhaps kids, dogs, pedestrians and cyclists can be electronically identified to the AVs as objects of interest.
Kids and adults, fer sure. Dogs and deer? Hmmm.... Imagine being a member of a tagging party that is going to sift through the wilderness and attach transponders to all bear, moose, wild boar, elk, deer, wolves, and wild felines. And which has to go out after every birth season to get the new generations. But it may not be necessary - passive thermal cameras have a much longer range than radar and lidar.