The city of Las Vegas is installing a traffic-monitoring system that uses technology to monitor traffic and traffic signals – all in real time. Working with Acyclica, sensors will be installed at each of the 2,300 intersections and across the region’s traffic corridors. The city’s traffic control center will be able to monitor and control traffic movement, change traffic-signal timing, check various streets and intersections, and analyze trends in real-time.
Drivers will soon be able to access to a new type of technology that allows traffic lights to communicate with their cars so they can know when the light is going to turn green. It will also also be capable of telling cars and drivers the optimum speed required to ensure that they can proceed through the maximum number of green lights. Self-driving vehicles will also have access to real-time traffic light data so they know when to stop or slow down.
Audi is the first to take advantage of the new technology, having recently announced Traffic Light Information as part of their Connect PRIME subscription service and will soon have access to all the signals in the city – but any car manufacturer can build it into their dashboards or devices.
The display is a simple dashboard traffic signal icon and a timer next to the digital vehicle speed and area speed limit displays already common in newer cars. Pom Malhotra of Audi terms it “time to green” and states, “you don’t have to constantly stare at the traffic light. You have that information right in front of you. A lot of behavior in the car changes. You have time to relax your hands and shoulders . . . time to hand a milk bottle to your child in the back seat . . . while knowing you’re not taking attention away from the road.”
