Audi has become the first manufacturer to launch vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) technology in production cars in the USA, with its traffic light information (TLI) system the first step in connecting a vehicle to its surroundings.
Audi’s new TLI system is being debuted this month in Las Vegas, Nevada, making it the first city in the USA to connect its traffic signal network to private vehicles. Traffic Light Information, an Audi connect PRIME feature, is available on select 2017 Audi A4, Q7 and Allroad models manufactured after June 1, 2016, and enables the car to communicate with the infrastructure in select cities and metropolitan areas across the USA. The car receives real-time signal information from the city’s advanced traffic management system (ATMS) that monitors traffic lights via the on-board 4G LTE data connection. When approaching a connected traffic light, the TLI system displays the time remaining until the signal changes to green in the driver instrument cluster, as well as the head-up display (if equipped).
Providing the driver with this additional information is intended to help reduce stress and allow the driver to relax, knowing approximately how much time remains before the light changes. This ‘time-to-green’ feature will be the first to use Audi’s TLI service. In future it may be possible to integrate information from ATMS equipment into vehicle start/stop features, navigation systems to optimize routing, and predictive services, such as presenting the driver with a speed recommendation designed to maximize the number of green lights that can be made in sequence. All of these services would be designed to either improve efficiency, drive time or traffic management.
Continued expansion to additional cities across the USA is ongoing as Audi works with municipalities to prepare their infrastructure for V2I connectivity. The automaker has partnered with Traffic Technology Services (TTS) to facilitate the transfer of traffic light data to Audi vehicles. The contributions being made by the automaker in connected city infrastructure will enrich the driving experience for Audi owners first, then ultimately for all drivers as other manufacturers begin to integrate this technology into their vehicles. In the future, smart cities will be able to use this technology to better understand traffic patterns, and could adapt traffic signal behavior to reduce congestion and improve traffic flow.
“The launch of this technology is another in a long list of firsts for Audi that have positioned us as the industry leader in connectivity solutions,” said Audi of America’s president, Scott Keogh. “V2I applications and services like Traffic Light Information are essential components as we continue to move toward an autonomous future.”
To watch a video about Audi’s TLI system click here.
