Skoda LED Grille Technology
When the Highway code published new changes in 2022, the hierarchy of road users was altered to give pedestrians greater priority. This change was believed to be influenced by the number of accidents involving pedestrians in 2021, with 16,293 being reported in the UK. This equates to more than 300 accidents per week.
To assist with this change, Skoda has revealed it is currently developing a new LED grille for the front of its vehicles, to alert and aid pedestrians as to when to cross the road. This is part of a wider scheme that is looking to make roads safer for children, elderly people, and people with disabilities.
The Enyax iV’s radiator grille alerts when it is safe to cross and warns when the car is beginning to move off. Skoda has tested a series of symbols for pedestrians including green arrows and a green figure, as well as a warning triangle and a red triangle with a cross. These symbols are widely recognisable to us now, however, as these are programmable LEDs, they can be controlled separately, making it possible to create new animations with endless possibilities.
Car aesthetics are constantly evolving, and the subject of radiator grilles has caused debate. There is the belief that they are no longer necessary in electric vehicles. In petrol vehicles, the radiator grille is essential for cooling the engine, but this isn’t required on the same scale for an EV.
Brands like Tesla, Kia, and Hyundai have removed grilles from the front of their EV vehicle design, choosing to keep a small grille space beneath the bumper instead. Whereas, BMW has opted to include a radiator grille as part of its brand identity.
As well as zebra crossings, drivers should also now give way to pedestrians crossing or waiting to cross a road they are driving into or out of. Therefore, not only could this development from Skoda pave the way for car designs in the future, but it may also mean utilising the front of vehicles in a way that would benefit drivers and pedestrians alike.
Words: Mike Booth
Pictures: Skoda. Editorial use only.