Audi technology helps drivers avoid red lights

The German carmaker Audi is testing technology that lets computers inside traffic lights talk to computers inside cars. This exchange allows cars to calculate which driving speeds will minimize the number of red lights they encounter.

Better still, according to an article in Wired, if enough cars start using the technology, the lights could start inferring traffic volume and changing their timing to minimize delays.

The concept is interesting, but I place little faith in concepts that require massive infrastructure upgrades in order to work. Given that almost no American cities even spend the money to pave their roads properly, I doubt that any big city will spend millions of dollars to upgrade traffic lights.

Automotive technologies -- to be practical -- have to be self-contained. We are much more likely to see lane-management systems that rely on in-car cameras than we are to see lane-management systems that rely on sensors embedded inside the roads.

Of course, things are different in Germany, where Audi is based. I'm not sure they'll spend the money to upgrade their traffic lights, but at least they keep their roads paved beautifully.