Cars That Communicate With Traffic Lights to Save Fuel

Audi is developing a system that uses wireless technology to let your car know when traffic lights are about to change. Called Travolution, this aims to reduce fuel consumption by ensuring cars drive at a more constant speed within cities and towns.

Suddenly braking when a light goes amber (or coming to a standstill and then suddenly accelerating when it goes green) wastes fuel; if the system really can reduce this sort of driver behaviour the fuel savings generated could be considerable.

So how does it work? Simply put, traffic light data is displayed in–car and the system gives audio as well as visual warnings intended to keep cars at more steady speeds for longer.

Commmunication with Traffic Lights

The cars and traffic lights communicate via a Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) across a wireless Local Area Network (LAN). Signals from the traffic lights are converted into an in–car graphic display which recommends a driving speed that will ensure that the light goes green before the car reaches it.

If the car is already stationary at the lights, the display will show how long it will be until the lights change. And if the car is approaching a light that is due to switch to amber or red, then an audio–visual warning is given to the driver to reduce speed.

Initial testing, involving staff at local engineering education faculties, was done as far back as 2006, and the tests revealed that keeping waiting time down at traffic lights could result in fuel savings of 17%.

Testing Fuel Efficiency During Test Drives

The latest step in the project involves a fleet of 15 vehicles and 25 sets of traffic lights, to test if the efficiency savings will hold up in real traffic conditions. Audi have been taking journalists and traffic planners for test drives as part of this beta testing.

It’s been estimated that if the technology were successfully implemented throughout Germany, then a 15% reduction in CO2 from urban traffic (some 2 million tonnes) would be achieved.

Another feature of Travolution is automatic payment for fuel or parking. The car communicates with the garage or car park; the charge is shown on the car’s multimedia interface; the driver confirms the amount and it is taken from their account.

Vindis are new and used Audi dealers for all models including Used Audi A4.

Victoria Stubbs,
Vindis Group.

You Are Here » Home Page » Driving Articles Index » Audi’s Travolution System

Back To Top

This page was last updated
Friday, 28-Jan-2011

Cars That Communicate With Traffic Lights to Save Fuel