Being impatient and sitting at a red light do not mix well. What does the light expect me to do? Stare at it until it turns green? I'm a human and I like to keep busy. A red light gives me the opportunity to check my email or look at the latest Facebook posts. It gives me time to apply the eyeliner that I didn't have time to apply while I was getting ready. It gives me a chance to take a 2 minute power nap.
However, if I decide to let my mind wander somewhere else while I'm sitting at a red light, then I will probably be oblivious to the fact that the light turned green. Then, drivers behind me are going to be angry because none of us made it through the light. Luckily, there may be a way to prevent this.
Audi has discovered what they call vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) technology, which is what allows the vehicle to communicate with city-wide traffic management systems. The vehicle will receive real-time signal information from the traffic lights that will give the driver a countdown of how long they have until the light turns green. That way they will know if they actually do have enough time to take their jacket off or to find a new song to listen to.
As this technology advances, the V2I technology will be able to inform the driver when they are approaching a light that will turn red. This can help fuel economy because the driver will be able to decide if they can make the light or if they should stop, rather than going full throttle on the gas pedal. There are a lot of features that Audi wants to advance with the V2I technology. "In the future we could envision this technology integrated into vehicle navigation, start/stop functionality and can even be used to help improve traffic flow in municipalities," said Pom Malhotra, general manager of Connected Vehicles for Audi in a statement. "These improvements could lead to better overall efficiency and shorter commuting times."
This V2I technology sounds pretty fancy! Audi chosen Las Vegas to be the first city with traffic lights to communication with the vehicle. Currently this technology is available in the Audi A4, Q7, and all road models.
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