the push towards V2I—vehicle to infrastructure—communications systems is meant to help solve this problem, timing traffic signals for optimum traffic flow. V2I is still some years away, but in the meantime BMW has released an iOS app that achieves some of the same functions, at least for drivers in Oregon (Portland and Eugene) or Salt Lake City.
The EnLighten app—which has actually been available as a standalone iOS and Android app for a while now—lives on a driver's iOS phone but runs through BMW's iDrive infotainment system. When running, the iDrive screen shows the status of the nearest traffic signal ahead, along with a real-time prediction of when the light will change.
EnLighten, which has been developed by a company called Connected Signals, works by interfacing with the city's traffic management system, then combines that data with the car's location (via GPS). And although the BMW version of Enlighten currently only works in three cities in the US, the standalone app (which doesn't integrate with a car's infotainment system) will also function in Las Vegas, Arcadia and Walnut Creek in California, and Christchurch, New Zealand, with more cities planned for the near future.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday August 02 2015, @12:33AM
When they added timers on pedestrian crosswalk signals, drivers started using the info to jump the light - driving up to and through the intersection at unreasonable speeds thinking they could beat the light. This results in more accidents. Intersections without this sort of timer have lower accident rates.
Putting this sort of thing on a phone will have negative consequences. Idiots will misuse the information out or impatience or asinine behaviour.
(Score: 1, Funny) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday August 02 2015, @02:01AM
... or asinine behaviour.
Did you mean BMW drivers? Recently Audi drivers have been added to this list too. (speaking from USA)