Smart Car Traffic Still A Way Off

The end of traffic light queuing is a perfect goal for vehicle-to-infrastructure integration specialists,  however, current reality means it could be a long time before this utopian reality is achieved.

That’s according to HBPW Partner, Jon Livesey who made his comments shortly after Audi launched a series of technological advances that will enable its vehicles to ‘talk’ to traffic lights and, in so doing, give drivers a second by second dashboard indicator as to when a red light is about to turn green.

“This evolving approach to ‘smart road design’ is a worthy ambition,” said Jon, “and it will ease road user frustrations, however, it is impossible to ignore the stakeholder integration that is required for such an ambition to become reality.

“Local authorities, for example, as well as the likes of Highways England and Network Rail each utilise equipment and materials specific to their sectors.

“How compatible are these when viewed together? Add into the mix the plethora of car manufacturers, most of whom operate globally, let alone just in the UK, and you have an integration challenge of immense proportions; complexity at another level!”

Audi says this latest technology is the first step towards a system where car speeds and routes are influenced by the messages they receive from infrastructure. It will go into use in certain parts of the United States soon.

Jon added: “Such technology has to be applauded and the most ambitious of ideas have to start somewhere, however, there is no avoiding the fact that it will take a long time to deliver a consistent approach by interested parties, before a workable solution is in place on our roads.”