Each time I try my hands on the wheel I pray that traffic light controllers do not hold me back for long. What if there was something that could reduce both the waiting times and fuel used by the car waiting for the lights to go green again? Well, Denso Corp. has designed the next version of the “smart traffic light system” that helps in taking better decisions about when to change signaling by using messaging between vehicles and the traffic-light controller.
Denso’s system that uses short-range wireless transmitters in cars and elements of the roadinfrastructure, which would give traffic lights more information about the upcoming vehicles. The lights could then change dynamically based on the speed, vehicle type, and relative volume of approaching vehicles. The company has successfully implemented the system, testing both pre-empting red lights and extending green lights by using vehicle equipped transmitters, and receivers in traffic lights at its Vista, California, research facility. Presently the proposed system is being further improved to adjust cycle times and light extensions to achieve the optimum traffic flow for any given set of approaching vehicles.
