Self-driving cars risk blind spot for vulnerable road users as tech unprepared for fast-moving runners The report highlighted concerns with current automated vehicle systems Don't Miss Most Read Latest Self-driving cars may not be fully prepared to deal with runners on the road, according to a new study, which warned of massive safety risks. Researchers found that runners were far more likely than walkers to take risks when crossing roads, something current automated vehicle systems may not properly account for. The study, carried out by teams at the University of Glasgow and KAIST, used augmented reality technology to explore how runners behaved differently from pedestrians. Their findings showed runners were less likely to slow down or stop at crossings and may even run in front of approaching vehicles to maintain their pace, leading to runners being struck by virtual cars in simulated scenarios. TRENDING Stories Videos Your Say Professor Stephen Brewster, of the University of Glasgow's School of Computing Science, said: "We realised that there's been very little research into how runners might expect to interact with driverless cars. That's surprising on a couple of levels." He warned that it will be increasingly important to ensure that runners and automated vehicles "can share the roads safely in the years to come". To carry out the research, 24 participants were asked to walk or run towards a junction while wearing augmented reality headsets, which displayed a life-sized virtual car approaching them. The survey revealed key safety concerns over how the vehicles reacted to runners on the road |PA/GETTY The simulated vehicles were programmed to sometimes stop and sometimes continue through the junction. In some cases, they were fitted with special external displays designed to communicate their intentions to pedestrians. These displays, known as "external human-machine interfaces", used lights to signal to