Taiwan’s Little Green Man stops running after 27 years, but its legacy lives on

One of Taiwan’s most recognizable street icons is about to slow down.

The Ministry of Transportation and Communications recently announced that pedestrian signals across the country will gradually remove the “running” animation that appears during the final seconds of the green light. The goal is to reduce the risk of pedestrians rushing across intersections.

Currently, many pedestrian signals across Taiwan switch from a walking figure to a running animation in the final seconds before the green light changes to red. 

Wu Tung-ling (吳東凌), director-general of the Department of Railways, Highways and Road Safety, said the accelerated animation can mislead pedestrians, according to Liberty Times. He said 20 counties and cities in Taiwan use the accelerated animation instead of a simple flashing signal.

Wu emphasized that the change does not mean the animated figure will disappear. The countdown flashing will remain, but the figure will no longer speed up, signaling to pedestrians that they should wait rather than hurry.

The nationwide rollout will be coordinated with local governments and is expected to be completed by the end of the year.

Traffic rules also revised

Along with the animation change, Taiwan is revising how pedestrian signals are interpreted. 

Under the previous rules, a pedestrian caught stepping onto a crosswalk the moment the green light started flashing risked a NT$500 (US$15.65) fine. Now, recognizing that few people can stop on a dime, a new draft amendment replaces the strict "prohibition" with a more forgiving "avoid entering" guideline. 

A Taiwanese innovation goes global

While the change signal a quiet farewell to a quirk that defined the Taiwanese commute, it also highlights a lesser-known fact — the animated “Little Green Man” is a Taiwanese invention.

The story begins in 1961 East Berlin, long before the figure learned to run. Traffic psychologist Karl Peglau designed a distinctive hat-wearing green figure to indicate “walk,” and a red standing figure to signal “stop,” serving as a clear and intuitive visual guide for pedestrians.

Decades later, on March 18, 1999, at the busy junction of Songzhi and Songshou Roads, Taipei unveiled the world’s first animated pedestrian signal. By layering sequential images to create the illusion of motion, local engineers gave the character a life of its own — walking calmly at first, then speeding up as the countdown neared zero.

The addition of a digital countdown timer further enhanced usability, allowing pedestrians to better judge whether they had enough time to cross.

The innovation quickly spread across Taiwan and later influenced similar designs in cities around the world such as the US, Japan and Germany.

More than just a light

Over time, the animated “Little Green Man” has grown beyond a traffic signal into one of Taiwan’s most recognizable icons — at home and abroad. 

Its animated design has attracted international attention, with some tourists visiting Taiwan specifically to photograph it. In 2016, Google marked the figure's 17th anniversary with a dedicated homepage Doodle.

Creativity has also shaped its local evolution.

In 2018, Pingtung County introduced a “proposal version,” where a couple walks hand in hand on green, and a kneeling figure appears on red. A follow-up version, released ahead of Mother's Day, featured a pregnant figure and a family of three — a small crosswalk saga that captured hearts well beyond the intersection.

Beyond the streets, the animated “Little Green Man” has also inspired merchandise, from transit cards to souvenirs. These creative twists ensure the “Little Green Man” remains a beloved fixture of Taiwan’s cultural identity.