Thursday, September 21, 2006

Intelligent traffic signals

The Times reports in 'The intelligent traffic signals that could save scores of lives' how thousands of deaths (they claim) could be prevented each year by a new type of traffic light - these lights will be able to detects when a vehicle is about to ignore a red signal and so responds by delaying showing green to drivers on opposing roads. Smart indeed. The article continues by saying:

'The new technology will also reduce delays by calculating how much traffic is building up on each road and automatically adjusting the timings of the green phases accordingly.

It gives warning, however, that there would have to be strict controls to prevent drivers abusing the system. Cameras would have to be installed alongside the new lights to catch motorists who knew that other vehicles would have to wait if they jumped a red signal.

The report also proposes using the technology to shorten the time lapse between lights turning red in one direction and turning green in another. The lights would detect when all vehicles were braking sufficiently to stop in time and instantly would give a green light to opposing traffic.'

Shame we can't have smarter drivers?

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