It won’t tell you when to put it all on black, but Audi’s first-of-its-kind vehicle-to-infrastructure technology should stop you from seeing red at traffic lights.
Now available on select 2017 A4, Q7 & allroad models, the new system allows V2I-enabled Audis to communicate with the city’s traffic management system in real time using the car’s on-board data connection. Translation: drivers will know exactly how long it’ll be until a red light turns green.
After communicating with the Traffic Light Information system, the “time-to-green” display starts counting down until the signal changes in order to reduce stress and help efficiency.
The integrated V2I technology will also be useful as autonomous cars hit the roads and has the potential to improve start/stop features and allow navigation systems to optimize routes. While only available in Las Vegas (where it was unveiled) for now, Audi does plan to install V2I technology in other cities and may even expand it to offer drivers speed suggestions for making it through a series of lights in succession.
“V2I applications and services like Traffic Light Information are essential components as we continue to move toward an autonomous future,” says Audi of America president Scott Keogh. “We applaud the innovative approach of Las Vegas in working with us on V2I.”
Even though it happened there, hopefully V2I doesn’t exclusively stay in Vegas for long.
This article was featured in the InsideHook newsletter. Sign up now.
