diff --git a/selfdrive/ui/mui.cc b/selfdrive/ui/mui.cc
index a10ead8e0..55b9a4747 100644
--- a/selfdrive/ui/mui.cc
+++ b/selfdrive/ui/mui.cc
@@ -1,11 +1,83 @@
 #include <QApplication>
 #include <QtWidgets>
 #include <QTimer>
+#include <QGraphicsScene>
 
 #include "cereal/messaging/messaging.h"
 #include "selfdrive/ui/ui.h"
 #include "selfdrive/ui/qt/qt_window.h"
 
+class StatusBar : public QGraphicsRectItem {
+  private:
+    QLinearGradient linear_gradient;
+    QRadialGradient radial_gradient;
+    QTimer animation_timer;
+    const int animation_length = 10;
+    int animation_index = 0;
+
+  public:
+    StatusBar(double x, double y, double width, double height) : QGraphicsRectItem {x, y, width, height} {
+      linear_gradient = QLinearGradient(0, 0, 0, height/2);
+      linear_gradient.setSpread(QGradient::ReflectSpread);
+
+      radial_gradient = QRadialGradient(width/2, height/2, width/8);
+      QObject::connect(&animation_timer, &QTimer::timeout, [=]() {
+        animation_index++;
+        animation_index %= animation_length;
+      });
+      animation_timer.start(50);
+    }
+
+    void solidColor(QColor color) {
+      QColor dark_color = QColor(color);
+      dark_color.setAlphaF(0.5);
+
+      linear_gradient.setColorAt(0, dark_color);
+      linear_gradient.setColorAt(1, color);
+      setBrush(QBrush(linear_gradient));
+    }
+
+    // these need to be called continuously for the animations to work.
+    // can probably clean that up with some more abstractions
+    void blinkingColor(QColor color) {
+      QColor dark_color = QColor(color);
+      dark_color.setAlphaF(0.1);
+
+      int radius = (rect().width() / animation_length) * animation_index;
+      QPoint center = QPoint(rect().width()/2, rect().height()/2);
+      radial_gradient.setCenter(center);
+      radial_gradient.setFocalPoint(center);
+      radial_gradient.setRadius(radius);
+
+      radial_gradient.setColorAt(1, dark_color);
+      radial_gradient.setColorAt(0, color);
+      setBrush(QBrush(radial_gradient));
+    }
+
+    void laneChange(cereal::LateralPlan::LaneChangeDirection direction) {
+      QColor dark_color = QColor(bg_colors[STATUS_ENGAGED]);
+      dark_color.setAlphaF(0.1);
+
+      int x = (rect().width() / animation_length) * animation_index;
+      QPoint center = QPoint(((direction == cereal::LateralPlan::LaneChangeDirection::RIGHT) ? x : (rect().width() - x)), rect().height()/2);
+      radial_gradient.setCenter(center);
+      radial_gradient.setFocalPoint(center);
+      radial_gradient.setRadius(rect().width()/5);
+
+      radial_gradient.setColorAt(1, dark_color);
+      radial_gradient.setColorAt(0, bg_colors[STATUS_ENGAGED]);
+      setBrush(QBrush(radial_gradient));
+    }
+
+    void paint(QPainter *painter, const QStyleOptionGraphicsItem *option, QWidget *widget = nullptr) override {
+      painter->setPen(QPen());
+      painter->setBrush(brush());
+
+      double rounding_radius = rect().height()/2;
+      painter->drawRoundedRect(rect(), rounding_radius, rounding_radius);
+    }
+};
+
 int main(int argc, char *argv[]) {
   QApplication a(argc, argv);
   QWidget w;
@@ -15,12 +87,18 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[]) {
 
   // our beautiful UI
   QVBoxLayout *layout = new QVBoxLayout(&w);
-  QLabel *label = new QLabel("〇");
-  layout->addWidget(label, 0, Qt::AlignCenter);
+
+  QGraphicsScene *scene = new QGraphicsScene();
+  StatusBar *status_bar = new StatusBar(0, 0, 1000, 50);
+  scene->addItem(status_bar);
+
+  QGraphicsView *graphics_view = new QGraphicsView(scene);
+  layout->insertSpacing(0, 400);
+  layout->addWidget(graphics_view, 0, Qt::AlignCenter);
 
   QTimer timer;
   QObject::connect(&timer, &QTimer::timeout, [=]() {
-    static SubMaster sm({"deviceState", "controlsState"});
+    static SubMaster sm({"deviceState", "controlsState", "lateralPlan"});
 
     bool onroad_prev = sm.allAliveAndValid({"deviceState"}) &&
                        sm["deviceState"].getDeviceState().getStarted();
@@ -37,7 +115,16 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[]) {
       } else if (cs.getAlertStatus() == cereal::ControlsState::AlertStatus::CRITICAL) {
         status = STATUS_ALERT;
       }
-      label->setStyleSheet(QString("color: %1; font-size: 250px;").arg(bg_colors[status].name()));
+
+      auto lp = sm["lateralPlan"].getLateralPlan();
+      if (lp.getLaneChangeState() == cereal::LateralPlan::LaneChangeState::PRE_LANE_CHANGE || status == STATUS_ALERT) {
+        status_bar->blinkingColor(bg_colors[status]);
+      } else if (lp.getLaneChangeState() == cereal::LateralPlan::LaneChangeState::LANE_CHANGE_STARTING ||
+                 lp.getLaneChangeState() == cereal::LateralPlan::LaneChangeState::LANE_CHANGE_FINISHING) {
+        status_bar->laneChange(lp.getLaneChangeDirection());
+      } else {
+        status_bar->solidColor(bg_colors[status]);
+      }
     }
 
     if ((onroad != onroad_prev) || sm.frame < 2) {