Audi claims to save millions of litres of fuel through its Online traffic light system
Audi has showcased its production ready online traffic light recognition system at the Consumer Electronics Show this year in an A6 sedan. This system can be integrated with Audi Connect. Audi now says that the system reduces emissions by 15 per cent and can save 900 million litres of fuel if enforced in Germany.
Testing is still being carried out in several cities including Berlin where 25 Audi customers are driving cars which are fitted with this system
The Audi online traffic light information system makes use of the car's internet by connecting to the traffic light network through the central traffic computer in the city. It understands the traffic light signal pattern in the area beforehand and when the driver approaches a particular signal the system informs the driver about the average speed required to cross the signal while the lights are still green. This data is conveyed to the driver through a driver information system (DIS) located on the central console and is emphasized by way of visual aids in the easily recognizable red, green and amber colours.
The system informs the driver about the average speed required to cross a signal
If the driver has stopped at a red signal, the Audi Connect system will show how much time is left for the lights to turn green via a countdown timer on the DIS. The system also interacts with the vehicle's Stop & Start function to switch on the engine five seconds before the light turns green.
Testing is still being carried out in several cities including Berlin where 25 Audi customers are driving cars which are fitted with this system. Audi says that the system is fully production ready and can be implemented in all its models once the government approves of it.
AUDI TRAFFIC LIGHT RECOGNITION TECHNOLOGY COULD SAVE MILLIONS OF LITRES OF FUEL
| Market maturity for traffic light networking represents the next phase of Audi connect Audi Online traffic light information system has the potential to save time and fuel 15 per cent reduction in CO2 emissions possible System alerts driver to speed required to reach the next green light Fully developed prototype system showcased in an Audi A6 Saloon at CES Integrated into Audi connect and MMI, and compatible with every Audi model Audi is ready to add a little oil to the wheels of the daily grind with advanced traffic light recognition technology which could make driving through towns and cities far more fluid and free of annoying and economy-denting red light punctuation. Audi Online traffic light information harnesses the power of in-car internet in a new way via Audi connect to establish a link between the car and the traffic light network via the central traffic computer in each town or city. It quickly assimilates the automated traffic light change sequences in the vicinity, and on the approach to a set of lights the Driver Information System (DIS) located in the central instrument cluster then shows the driver the speed to select in order to pass through the light during a green phase. It also displays a visual aid using red, amber or green icons. If the driver is already waiting at a red light, Audi connect will calculate and count down the time remaining until the next green light is scheduled to appear via a timer on the DIS. The system also interacts with the car's Start-Stop function to ensure the engine is switched on five seconds before the green phase. Audi AG calculates that Online traffic light interaction has the potential to reduce CO2 emissions by up to 15 per cent, and could save approximately 900 million litres of fuel if it were to be deployed throughout Germany. The fully functional system is now production ready and could be fitted to every Audi model in the range subject to the necessary government legislation. It was actively demonstrated recently on the busy Las Vegas freeways in an Audi A6 Saloon as part of a trailblazing technology display at the Consumer Electronics Show, and comprehensive testing continues in Las Vegas with 50 sets of traffic lights. Testing is also underway in the northern Italian city of Verona, where some 60 traffic lights covering almost the entire city centre are involved, and in Berlin, where 25 Audi customers are driving cars fitted with Online traffic information that can link up to a total of 1,000 traffic lights in the city. A market launch is currently the subject of intense analysis in the United States. | |
Starts Rs 54.42 Lakhs
1984cc
Automatic
245
370
14.11 Kmpl
