2017 cars will tell you when the light will change

[pc747]

2017 Audis will continue to push forward with vehicle technology. To be able to alert drivers about how long to expect to sit at the light, keep them aware of street signs in the area. We are building to a fully autonomous world. It will not be long before driver's ed classes will be about how to push a button and just watch the gauges.



Source: New Audis will count down to the light turning green

 

[dezymond]

As awesome as this technology sounds I have a feeling human error (due to lack of common sense), that this could lead to more accidents. They'll pay more attention to that little screen instead of scanning the environment making sure it would be safe to proceed. Can you imagine some of the younger kids "We got 5sec left! 3....2...1....*pedal to the metal*"

Another problem is "allowed distraction" time on expressways for instance, where lights could take anywhere from 3-5min (at least my local one). If people know how much time they have what's the first thing you think they'll do? Yup. Play with their phones.

I don't doubt this technology will come in good use one day, but from what I've seen, there are far more people who will use this technology incorrectly versus those who will know how to properly utilize it.

 

[FoxKat]

This is absurd from so many angles. First, as @dezymond mentioned people do this already, but in a much more interactive way. They both watch the traffic lights (including the cross traffic's lights when visible), and the movement (or stopping), of opposing, turning or cross-traffic to determine the sequence of traffic light order, to predict when the light will change for them AND to make sure the coast is clear. This is using your eyes, ears and brain to analyze the conditions, to determine when it's SAFE to proceed, NOT just when the light says you can proceed without being ticketed.

If everyone relied on the traffic lights to make 100% of the decisions as to when to proceed, there would be less (but not no), "vehicle to vehicle" accidents, yes. However, one problem is that many people would continue to either ignore them completely (as some do now either purposely or by accident), or "jump the gun" as it were (as indicated above), placing them and their vehicles in the line of fire.

Another problem we're forgetting is pedestrians, which by law ALWAYS have the right of way, EVEN IF they are doing so AGAINST the traffic signals. What happens if it's 3, 2, 1, GO, and without paying attention to the street and movement of vehicles and pedestrians in front of you, unbeknownst to you a woman and baby in a carriage are just making it to the other side of the road but are right in front of you? Then we can add things like animals, kids on Bicycles (which rarely follow standard traffic laws or even common sense avoidance tactics), runaway basketballs, and even drivers who lose control of their vehicles for one reason or another.

Again, putting MORE things into the car's display in the name of prevention, causes more time with eyes OFF the road. This may prevent you from being pulled over for distracted driving (such as texting, fixing makeup or reading), since it's actually a car sensor, but it will increase the number of distractions just the same.

Another issue...what if you're not the first vehicle in the line at the light? What may happen is an increase in rear-end collisions where the car in front of you doesn't react to the sensor as quickly you do and you wind up hitting the idiots front of you that didn't move quickly enough when the light changed to get if your way (he says jokingly).

I understand this is an attempt to move closer to autonomous vehicles but installing sensors and indicators in order to make people act more like computers is not the way to do it.



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[pc747]

I agree with both of you but at the same time I don't think we should limit innovations because of the idiots we have on the road. Whether it be distracted with cell phone, tablet, laptop, or digging in a bag to grab the last fry, people are going to find a way to not pay attention. Yeah this don't help but this coupled with what i read is coming along with autonomous vehicles CAN lead to safer travels. Key word is "can" because for every responsible person who understands that this don't take away from paying attention to the road, we have others who feel this is an excuse to crawl into the back seat and take a nap while the car drives and then want to sue the manufacturer for them getting in a wreck.


Yeah there are people who will use this to rev up the car to beat someone off the line in an illegal street race. But for the person driving on an empty road at 2am it may serve as a tool to take an alternate route, especially on days you are running late and is stuck at a slow light that literally will take 5 minutes to change regardless of the traffic.

Unfortunately whether it be the smartphone, autonomous car, or anything we can not "tell the idiots to just go home". We have to try and educate. Sadly no matter how many threads people make about the dangers of texting and driving or tools manufacturers make to keep people off their phones we still have people driving 90 mph down a highway with construction with their eyes looking down at their social media.

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[FoxKat]

True that ^.

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[Mustang02]

Omg yes please do this. Let Darwin take its course!!!

 

[mountainbikermark]

As awesome as this technology sounds I have a feeling human error (due to lack of common sense), that this could lead to more accidents. They'll pay more attention to that little screen instead of scanning the environment making sure it would be safe to proceed. Can you imagine some of the younger kids "We got 5sec left! 3....2...1....*pedal to the metal*"

Another problem is "allowed distraction" time on expressways for instance, where lights could take anywhere from 3-5min (at least my local one). If people know how much time they have what's the first thing you think they'll do? Yup. Play with their phones.

I don't doubt this technology will come in good use one day, but from what I've seen, there are far more people who will use this technology incorrectly versus those who will know how to properly utilize it.

Look at it this way. That's 3-5 minutes they won't be texting while driving.

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[FoxKat]

Look at it this way. That's 3-5 minutes they won't be texting while driving.

Support Our Troops!!!
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I guess that might be one benefit, but the "gentle" reminder from the car behind you when they lean on the horn will have the same effect. So instead they play till they get the beep, so to speak.

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[pc747]

You'll get a lot more of that as well.

 

[FoxKat]

In a follow up to this thread, here's a link to a more detailed explanation, including discussion of how they could prevent the countdown dragsters (as discussed above), as well as a better understanding of how the greater overriding technology could enhance driving route and fuel efficiency, and comfort (as well as safety), going forward.

Audi tech counts down red lights today, reduces traffic tomorrow

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[Mustang02]

How long until we start watering the lawns with Gatorade?

 

[Efin]

You'll get a lot more of that as well.

Sajo at his makeup again!

 

[FoxKat]

How long until we start watering the lawns with Gatorade?

Pardon my ignorance but I don't get the joke... Explain please?

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[Mustang02]

Pardon my ignorance but I don't get the joke... Explain please?

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Please watch the movie Idiocracy. You'll realize we aren't far from it.


Idiocracy (2006) - IMDb

 

[FoxKat]

Please watch the movie Idiocracy. You'll realize we aren't far from it.


Idiocracy (2006) - IMDb

I'll have to rent it from Redbox as I don't have a Netflix account and refuse to pay for such service monthly. Maybe I can find it on pay-per-view with a service through ROKU. I don't watch movies often enough to make it financially worthwhile to subscribe for such services. I am supplied with Dish Network and including several premium movie channels in the hotel here, so there's really no need to rent movies or pay for a premium pay movie rental service except for the very infrequent time when there's a specific movie we want to watch.