Outdated traffic lights and faulty signal lamps can send false signals to drivers and pedestrians, causing traffic accidents and injuries. On the other hand, the classic design of the traffic light can make it difficult for those who are colorblind to distinguish between red and green. Russia-based multidisciplinary design firm Art. Lebedev Studio redesigned the traffic lights with a modern look and technological innovations suitable for the 21st century.
Art. Lebedev Studio’s new traffic light concentrates the three-part traffic light into a single panel that runs a continuous loop of signals. The entire screen emits a red glow to give a stop warning and projects a cross on the screen to alert colorblind drivers. Similarly, the screen fills with green light and an arrow sign appears in the forward direction to signal. In addition, a counter is displayed each time a traffic signal starts, informing drivers when to slow down, when to go and how long to wait.
The new traffic light can also display other road rules on the screen. For example, half of the screen is filled with red and the other half with green to allow drivers to turn right and prevent them from going straight. A red cross on the hybrid display panel prevents going forward, while a green arrow pointing to the right informs drivers that they are allowed to turn right.
The designers also developed a pedestrian light, which is a small form of a traffic light. Pedestrian light informs pedestrians who want to cross with a simple animation. This fun animation can also help pedestrians have a good time while waiting at traffic lights.
Art. Lebedev Studio’s project named Traffic Lights of the Future was awarded in the Urban Solutions category in the 2021 edition of the Best for Life Design Award, an international competition in industrial and product design.
Art. Although Lebedev Studio’s modern traffic lights may seem like an unusual idea, it may soon enter our lives. The new traffic lights were requested in a limited capacity by two cities in Russia.
