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Never wait for a red light again - hit every green. Sounds tempting, doesn't it? Audi is currently testing a device called Travolution that does just that. The in-car gadget searches for wireless signals from nearby traffic lights and calculates how fast the driver should go in order to sail right through.
Special transmitters fitted inside traffic signals send messages to cars in the vicinity letting drivers know of the time remaining until the next green phase. When everything syncs up properly, drivers know how fast to drive in order to make it through before the light turns red.
The system, which was developed by Audi and traffic management experts in the carmaker's German hometown of Ingolstadt, improves synchronization of traffic light networks to reduce stopping times. It also reduces the number of actual stops needed by creating a communications link between cars and the traffic light network.
Reducing stops will reduce fuel consumption and pollution, giving a whole new meaning to going green.
Via Daily Mail and Wired
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written by Ken Roberts, October 23, 2008
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written by Ian Garrett, October 24, 2008
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written by Steve N. Lee, October 24, 2008
I'm sure we've all been sat at a red light, wondering why we are, because there's no one else on the road anywhere in sight in any direction. Yep, that's great fun.
This device could help cut congestion in cities; cut journey times; reduce driver frustration (so reducing accidents)... so many benefits. With the big plus being, of course, that we use less fuel to get places, helping save the environment. (Not to mention saving our cash when fuel prices are sky high and money is so tight!)
The only drawback may be that people simply don't pay attention to such devices. Or, if you have to hit 30 to reach the green light, but the car in front of you is only doing 27! Yep, maybe it might not cut so much driver frustration.
Over all I think the pros out number the cons significantly and this could be a great aid for drivers.
Steve N. Lee
author of eco-blog http://www.lionsledbysheep.com
and suspense thriller 'What if...?' http://www.steve-n-lee.com
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written by rohan, October 24, 2008
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written by David Keech, November 04, 2008
I already do this manually simply by looking ahead by 100 or 200 metres but an electronic system that actually knows when the lights are going to change could be even more accurate and therefore even greener.
It doesn't have to involve speeding up to beat the red light. The lights themselves could also take into account the cars in the area and change their behaviour to allow more of them to get through without having to stop.
It sounds like a very smart idea to me.
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I've yet to hear about the threshold of distance versus speed for this and I'm curious. Anybody know?