A self-driving vehicle (10; 200; 400), SDV, comprising: a sensor system (101, 103; 205; 610) to generate sensor data (99; 207) corresponding to a surrounding area of the SDV, wherein the sensor system is included within a housing mounted on a roof of the SDV; acceleration, steering, and braking systems ; a lighting strip (398; 615; 620) viewable from the surrounding area of the SDV, wherein the lighting strip circumscribes an exterior of the housing; a control system (100; 220) to execute an instruction set that causes the control system to: process the sensor data to autonomously control the acceleration, steering, and braking systems along a current route; based on the current route, dynamically determine a set of immediate actions to be performed by the SDV; based on the set of immediate actions, generate a set of intention outputs (237; 322; 669) on the lighting strip, the set of intention outputs indicating the set of immediate actions prior to the SDV executing the set of immediate actions, wherein execution of the instruction set further causes the control system to: execute the set of immediate actions using the acceleration, braking and steering systems; and while executing the set of immediate actions, generate a corresponding set of reactive outputs (671; 685) on the lighting strip to indicate the set of immediate actions being executed, the corresponding set of reactive outputs to replace the set of intention outputs. a sensor system (101, 103; 205; 610) to generate sensor data (99; 207) corresponding to a surrounding area of the SDV, wherein the sensor system is included within a housing mounted on a roof of the SDV; acceleration, steering, and braking systems ; a lighting strip (398; 615; 620) viewable from the surrounding area of the SDV, wherein the lighting strip circumscribes an exterior of the housing; a control system (100; 220) to execute an instruction set that causes the control system to: process the sensor data to autonomously control the acceleration, steering, and braking systems along a current route; based on the current route, dynamically determine a set of immediate actions to be performed by the SDV; based on the set of immediate actions, generate a set of intention outputs (237; 322; 669) on the lighting strip, the set of intention outputs indicating the set of immediate actions prior to the SDV executing the set of immediate actions, wherein execution of the instruction set further causes the control system to: execute the set of immediate actions using the acceleration, braking and steering systems; and while executing the set of immediate actions, generate a corresponding set of reactive outputs (671; 685) on the lighting strip to indicate the set of immediate actions being executed, the corresponding set of reactive outputs to replace the set of intention outputs. process the sensor data to autonomously control the acceleration, steering, and braking systems along a current route; based on the current route, dynamically determine a set of immediate actions to be performed by the SDV; based on the set of immediate actions, generate a set of intention outputs (237; 322; 669) on the lighting strip, the set of intention outputs indicating the set of immediate actions prior to the SDV executing the set of immediate actions, wherein execution of the instruction set further causes the control system to: execute the set of immediate actions using the acceleration, braking and steering systems; and while executing the set of immediate actions, generate a corresponding set of reactive outputs (671; 685) on the lighting strip to indicate the set of immediate actions being executed, the corresponding set of reactive outputs to replace the set of intention outputs. <EOS>