Audi's Traffic Light Information System Tells You When The Lights Are Going To Turn Green (pcworld.com)

An anonymous reader quotes a report from PCWorld: Audi's Traffic light information system offers a first: the ability to tell you when the stoplight is going to change from red to green. This is a big thing for the impatient driver, but it's an even bigger thing for the automotive industry. The new feature, announced Monday, will be available on 2017 Q7, A4, and A4 allroad models built from June, 2016 onward. As your car nears a traffic light, it will receive real-time data about the signals at that location. Because the data can be complex, Audi says the car's computer will decide whether it has enough information to know when the traffic light you're sitting at will turn green. If so, it'll display a countdown clock on the instrument cluster. Audi's General Manager of Connectivity, Pom Malhotra, said Audi tested the service on 100 cars for over a year. The company's working closely with the agencies that manage the 300,000 or so traffic lights in the United States, and data provider Traffic Technology Solutions (TTS) of Portland, Oregon. TTS processes a constant stream of traffic signal status in real time and sends it to Audi's own servers, which then send it to the car. Malhotra said, "A few things have been implemented that we think of as safeguards." For example, the countdown timer will disappear several seconds before the red light changes to green, forcing you to put down your phone or stop whatever you may be doing in the meantime and look at the light yourself. The feature will be available in the three models mentioned via Audi's Connect Prime infotainment package, which costs $199 for 6 months or $750 for 30 months.

Comments

In Germany, lights work that way

[jfdavis668]

In Germany, you will be sitting at a red light, and the yellow will also come on. It is the warning that it is about to turn green. Very much like a christmas tree. You better start moving when the light goes green, or everyone else will run you over. I can see why they are adding this to their cars.

Re:In Germany, lights work that way

[John Meacham]

No. If you are in the intersection box when the light turns red, you have just committed a moving violation and can (and should be) ticketed for it. Despite popular belief, you are not supposed to enter the intersection unless you can proceed through it before the light turns red. DMV driving testers will fail drivers that drive that way.

No, you are definitely supposed to enter the intersection when making a left then turn on yellow or red. You will get dinged on your driving test if you do not do so. At least in California, maybe it varies by state. But that is how you are supposed to do it here.

To quote a CHP officer

"If a person is driving straight through an intersection (NOT TURNING) law requires a motorist to enter the intersection, only when there is enough room to completely traverse the intersection. For drivers making a left turn, this rule does not apply! If a driver faces a green light, they are authorized to enter the intersection and wait for clearance to complete their turn. HOWEVER, the driver is not allowed to enter the intersection for a left turn if they are facing a yellow light."