Audi's New Traffic Advisory System Helps Drivers Catch Green Lights

author: FutureCar Staff    

Luxury automaker Audi has improved upon its Traffic Light Information system by adding a Green Light Optimized Speed Advisory (GLOSA) feature, to help driver's avoid the frustration of getting stopped by red traffic lights. The system works by suggesting the the optimal driving speed, so that a upcoming traffic signal is more likely to be green as the vehicle approaches.

Audi is the first automaker to launch a GLOSA system in the U.S. and it's just another example of how future vehicles might use connected car technology.

GLOSA provides real-time speed recommendations that can assist drivers in catching most green traffic lights and minimize stops at red lights. The system also helps to reduce driver stress.

The system is compatible with select 2017 and newer Audi models that have the "time to green" Traffic Light Information option.

GLOSA uses traffic signal information and the current position of a vehicle to display a speed recommendation intended to allow drivers to pass traffic lights during a green interval. The distance to stop, the speed limit profile for the area, and the signal timing plans, are all combined to calculate the real-time speed recommendation to the driver.

When one of these select Audi models approaches a connected traffic light, it receives real-time signal information from the traffic management system that monitors traffic lights via the vehicle's on-board 4G LTE data connection.

When the light is red, the TLI feature will display the time remaining until the signal changes to green in the instrument cluster in front of the driver or in the optional head-up display (HUD).

"Audi is committed to moving America in many ways, including through the development of industry-leading connectivity and mobility solutions," said Mark Del Rosso, president, Audi of America. "Not only do vehicle-to-infrastructure technologies like GLOSA benefit drivers today, they're also the critical steps needed as we continue toward an automated future."

In this example, the system informs the driver that the upcoming traffic signal will be red for another 30 seconds.

Survey data from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety shows that the average American driver spends nearly 300 hours a year behind the wheel, the equivalent to seven 40-hour weeks at the office. Providing drivers with additional information, such as green light optimized speed advisories, can help reduce anxiety and improve a driver's comfort during all of this time behind the wheel.

Audi launched its Traffic Light Information system in 2016 in a collaboration with Traffic Technology Services (TTS). The feature is a Audi connect PRIME feature that enables the car to communicate with the infrastructure in certain cities and metropolitan areas across the U.S.

Today, more than 4,700 intersections support both the "time-to-green" and GLOSA functionalities. Major metro areas include Dallas, Denver, Houston,Las Vegas, Los Angeles, New York City, Orlando, Phoenix, San Francisco, Washington, D.C. and Northern Virginia.

"VDOT's collaboration with Audi, TTS, and other innovative companies leverages the Commonwealth's data and vehicle-to-infrastructure communications, preparing us for more connected and automated vehicles on our roadways," said Virginia Secretary of Transportation Shannon Valentine. "We are committed to improving safety, reducing congestion and exploring opportunities to partner with the private sector."

Future iterations of V2I technology could include integration with a vehicle's start/stop function, so the engine turns off at red lights and back on automatically when the light turns green.

FutureCar Staff