More than 600 intersections in the District of
Columbia have been outfitted to support the ‘time-to-green’ feature, according to an announcement by Audi of America.
Audi created a feature called Traffic Light Information so
that its cars can communicate with the traffic infrastructure in certain cities and metropolitan areas, which started testing in Las Vegas some time ago.
When select Audi models approach a
connected traffic light, the car receives real-time signal information. When the light is red, the car’s instrument cluster shows the time remaining until the signal changes to green.
“Not only do V2I technologies like Traffic Light Information help to reduce driver stress, they are also essential infrastructure developments as we continue toward an automated
future,” stated Scott Keogh, president, Audi of America.
Audi and Traffic Technology Services have brought the technology to other markets, including Dallas, Houston, Palo Alto, Portland
and Denver.
Future iterations could include integration within the vehicle’s start-stop function, Green Light Optimized Speed Advisory, optimized navigation routing and other predictive
services, according to Audi.
Audi last month introduced a vehicle-integrated toll payment system on some models so that car owners don’t have to stick an additional device onto their
windshields to pay for road tolls.