Traffic light technology that tells you when it will change
Remember when your driving instructor told you to watch for when the opposite traffic light changes to amber before getting your clutch control ready to pull away? With the traffic light technology in the new Audi A3 and Q7 models, life will be made far easier.
The German automobile manufacturer has now introduced technology which will be in all A3 and Q7 models built after June this year that will tell you exactly how long a robot has been red.
Sadly, the technology has only been implemented in Nevada, Las Vegas, due to a partnership Audi has formed with the Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada.
How this technology works is the cars are directly linked to the traffic light information system of the city, using a 4G LTE data connection. The Audi servers make a direct connection to the traffic management centres and real-time traffic light information is sent to the vehicle.
Also read: Audi is tops when it comes to quality
Pilot projects in Europe have proven this eases the flow of traffic, with drivers thinking they are somehow “beating the system”.
Not only does it count down to the light changing to green, it also displays the colour of the next traffic light you are approaching. If you’re within the speed limit and the traffic light is red – it will show you exactly how long it will take before it turns green. This will give you time to slow down and with this – save on fuel. An excellent safety feature is that by 4 seconds the countdown will disappear, giving the driver enough time to look at the road.
Audi is looking to introduce this technology in Europe, with pilot projects already taking place in Germany.
Source: IOL Motoring