Audi is introducing technology that will allow its cars to communicate with traffic lights, the manufacturer has announced. It will tell drivers when lights are due to turn green and when they will not make it before a light turns red. The firm said it was meant to make driving less stressful, rather than as a safety aid, it was reported. It will require a significant investment to make it viable in the UK, one expert said.
According to Audi, the “vehicle-to-infrastructure” or “V-to-I” technology has been introduced in A4 models built after 1 June this year and will be put into some Q7 models next year. The Volkswagen-owned firm said safety and other operational information will be wirelessly transmitted between traffic lights and vehicles over the cloud.
Although it is hoped that the tech will eventually help mitigate crashes and reduce congestion on roads and highways, Pom Malhotra, the general manager of Audi’s connected vehicles division, told reporters: “This is designed not as a safety feature, but a comfort and convenience feature.”
