Data Traffic

We are approaching the end of traffic as we know it.

Autonomous cars are gradually entering a system designed for human drivers, learning to interpret signs, anticipate human behavior, and navigate the chaos of our streets. Yet a future of fully synchronised vehicles could transform these dynamics entirely. By communicating directly with one another, autonomous cars could move at constant speeds, react in fractions of a second, and eliminate the need for traffic lights or road signs, making transportation safer, smoother, and more efficient.

Data Traffic explores this transition through the visual language of car lights. The idea emerged while stuck in a traffic jam, observing how headlights, brake lights, and turn signals reveal not only drivers’ intentions but also their emotions, imperfections, and competitive instincts. A single slow-moving vehicle can disrupt the entire flow, while an impatient driver can create danger for everyone around them.

Built from twenty-four car lamps, the installation translates these chaotic interactions into patterns of light, reflecting the contrast between unpredictable human behavior and the synchronised precision of autonomous systems.