---
title: "Google’s Self-Driving Cars Will Soon Be Able to Interpret Cyclists’ Signals"
description: "Google is developing an onboard sensor for its self-driving vehicle fleet that can gauge and interpret a cyclist's intent."
date: "2016-07-21"
modified: "2016-07-21"
authors:
  - name: "Charmaine Caparas"
    link: "https://futurism.com/authors/charmaine"
url: "https://futurism.com/googles-self-driving-cars-will-soon-be-able-to-interpret-cyclists-signals"
categories:
  - "Advanced Transport"
  - "Artificial Intelligence"
  - "Google"
  - "Self-Driving Vehicles"
tags:
  - "bicycle"
  - "car"
  - "Google"
---

# Google’s Self-Driving Cars Will Soon Be Able to Interpret Cyclists’ Signals

![](<https://futurism.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/A-Elijah-Nouvelage-Reuters.jpg>)
*\<em\>Image: Elijah Nouvelage / Reuters\</em\>*

Google has some good news for cyclists.

The tech giant is developing new onboard sensors for its self-driving vehicle fleet that will be able to gauge and interpret a cyclist’s intent.

![Screen Shot 2016-07-21 at 2.27.26 PM](<https://futurism.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Screen-Shot-2016-07-21-at-2.27.26-PM.png>)
*Over 100 Googlers biking around a self-driving car. Source: Google*

The sensors can detect a cyclist's hand signals as an indication of an intention to make a turn or shift over, according to the company's June [autonomous vehicle report](<https://static.googleusercontent.com/media/www.google.com/en//selfdrivingcar/files/reports/report-0616.pdf>). Cyclists often make hand signals far in advance of a turn, and Google's software is designed to remember previous signals from a rider so it can better anticipate a rider's turn down the road.

The [built-in sensors](<https://www.engadget.com/2016/07/05/google-autonomous-cars-cyclist-friendly/>) will make sure that the autonomous cars recognize everything from unicycles to fatbikes, and stay out of the two-wheeled traffic's way. Further, the report notes that the vehicle software is even getting advanced enough to avoid cyclists in the dark.