Jaguar Land Rover is supporting research into collision-prevention technology at Warwick University.

The number of pedestrians killed in urban traffic accident could be reduced with the technology that automatically slows a car down when a person moves into its path, reported The Engineer.

Researchers at Warwick Manufacturing Group hope to have a proof of concept demonstration vehicle in three years.

The technology would enable cars to use radar, lasers and camera sensors connected to a central control unit to detect and classify potential obstacles in city environments. The radar and lasers, mounted on the front of the car, would send radio waves and laser pulses to determine the distance of potential obstacles.

The range to the object would be determined by measuring the time delay between transmission of a wave or pulse and detection of the reflected signal.

Automotive collision-prevention technology is already used in cars with adaptive cruise control but is designed for motorway use.

Ken Young, who leads the research, said motorways are “fairly controlled environments” and designing technology that can work in an unpredictable and dynamic setting such as a city is much more difficult.