The world’s first traffic lights were installed 150 years ago outside the Houses of Parliament in London.
Since then, drivers around the globe are estimated to have spent billions of hours waiting for ‘green’.
However, Jaguar Land Rover (
www.jaguarlandrover.com) is looking to use Vehicle-to-Infrastructure (V2X) technology to connect cars to traffic lights to improve the traffic flow in cities.
The Green Light Optimal Speed Advisory (GLOSA) system allows cars to ‘talk’ to traffic lights and inform the driver of the speed they should drive as they approach junctions or signals; this should prevent drivers racing to beat the lights and improve air quality by reducing harsh acceleration or braking near traffic lights.
The goal is for V2X to create free-flowing cities with fewer delays and less commuter stress.
The connected technology is currently being trialled on a Jaguar F-Pace, as part of a £20 million government-funded research project — UK Autodrive.
Like all current Jaguar and Land Rover vehicles, the F-PACE already offers a wide range of Advanced Driver Assistance (ADAS) features.
The connected-technology trials are enhancing existing ADAS features by increasing the line of sight of a vehicle when it is connected via the Internet to other vehicles and infrastructure.
For example, Intersection Collision Warning alerts drivers when it is unsafe to proceed at a junction, while Emergency Vehicle Warning alerts motorists when a fire engine, police car or ambulance is approaching.
Jaguar Land Rover Connected Technology research engineer Oriol Quintana-Morales said: “This cutting-edge technology will radically reduce the time we waste at traffic lights.
"It has the potential to revolutionise driving by creating safe free-flowing cities that take the stress out of commuting.
"Our research is motivated by the chance to make future journeys as comfortable and stress-free as possible for all our customers.”