The technology allows Audi vehicles to “talk” to traffic signals, giving drivers a little advanced warning about what’s to come.
Advertisement
“If you just think about the number of intersections that you pass through, and you think about the accumulated anxiety, accumulated stress that happens because of these, it’s information like this”, says Pom Malhotra, general manager of connected vehicles for Audi, “that allows your mind to relax and basically, say, ‘All right”.
It’s also limited in terms of vehicles affected, with 2017 models including the Audi Q7, A4 and A4 all road with firm levels that include Audi connect being the only ones that can take advantage of the feature. The feature will inform drivers of how much time there is left until a light turns green.
Most traffic lights in major cities are internet connected and Audi will be using a third party to retrieve the traffic lights’ (about 300,000 in the United States) information from the cloud and get it to the cars’ dashboards. Malhotra believes in its current form, the system is more of a convenience feature, but it could be expanded to improve road safety and improve the environment. Additionally, the countdown timer when at a red light disappears when the light is three second from turning green.
Audi’s new V2I system, called Audi Traffic light information, will allow drivers of certain 2017 Audi Q7s, A4s and A4 allroads learn when lights are about to change colors, ultimately improving traffic flow and fuel economy as drivers adjust their driving styles accordingly. Ideally, this will force drivers to actually wait and see the light change and to check the intersection to make sure it’s clear before proceeding.
The system will enable its compatible cars to display a countdown before a red light is going to turn red. Drivers must opt for the Connect Prime service, which costs $199 for 6 months.
Advertisement
In Audi’s next step to creating a fully connected vehicle, they adding a traffic light countdown to its dashboard with the intention of informing the driver the remaining time on a red light. Audi’s system sounds like it might be more closely tied to official city traffic light servers, however.
