Society shapes itself around those new developments. The layout of cities was changed by the automobile and television changed household dynamics. The city of Hong Kong is trying to stop distracted phone users from stepping out into dangerous traffic by redesigning traffic lights.
The problem with Hong Kong is how much of a distraction these devices can be. Even those who choose to keep their devices in a bag or pocket can't escape the endless barrage of notifications, thanks to wireless headphones and connected watches. It is a distraction and it is taking people's focus away from more important things.
As part of a six-month trial at four different busy intersections in Hong Kong, the city has installed traffic light upgrades in the form ofLED lamps that project a bright red light down onto the curb, on either side of a crosswalk. Pedestrians who are distracted by their phones and screens will be bathed in red light as they approach the street.
The hope is that the bright red light will be a red flag for pedestrians to look out for. One of the concerns over this approach is that humans are very good at eventually tuning out and ignoring certain stimuli. The audible tones used to assist the visually impaired have disappeared into the background noise of a busy city for those who don't rely on them, and over time these red warning lights may be as easy to tune out and ignore as the sounds of vehicles rushing by.
Additional warnings are only provided at crosswalks. It is useless to walk into the middle of a busy street when you are distracted. It will take a while before augmented reality displays make it easier for users to keep their eyes on their surroundings. It will take a long time for self-driving cars to become commonplace, so any safety improvement is a good thing.
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