Audis Can Talk to Traffic Lights??? (Audi Traffic Light Information Technology Explained)
Audi Traffic Light Information might be the coolest bit of technology the company offers, and no one knows about it.
Have you ever had to drive to the store and arrive at your destination frustrated and stressed out because you hit every single red light along the way? Of course you have. We have all been there. Nobody likes to sit at a traffic light. Well, what if we told you that Audi has a technology called Traffic Light Information (TLI) that could prevent you from ever being stuck at a red light again? And what if we told you that TLI has been available since 2016? Does that all sound too good to be true? Well, it is true but the problem is most people have no idea that this technology exists. Audi has long been known as a technology leader, and they have stuffed their cars with leading edge tech for years. And perhaps because Audi offers so much tech TLI slipped under the radar.
A video was posted on the Out of Spec Reviews YouTube channel last year that shows the Traffic Light Information system in use in a 2019 Audi e-tron. The YouTuber makes it clear that there are times when the system is not completely accurate. However, in the video the system works perfectly. It has got to be one of the coolest bits of Audi technology in existence, but it gets no press. We are here to change that and shed some light on TLI.
Traffic Light Information
TLI works with an LTE signal that comes with an Audi connect PRIME or PLUS subscription. A connected traffic signal communicates with servers that know the pattern of that traffic signal and sends it back to the vehicle. Currently over 22,000 intersections at more than 60 cities across the U.S. are connected. This information is then displayed to the driver letting them know at what speed they need to travel in order to hit the next green light. It also displays a countdown in seconds to when a red signal will turn green again. It is pretty slick, and in the video the Audi is able to predict every time the exact second that the light will turn green.
Use Case
Besides it just being a cool party trick, what is the real point of TLI? Reports have shown that avoiding stop-and-go traffic can increase fuel efficiency by as much as 15 percent. It also leads to reduced stress as the driver can time the journey in such a way that they can ride a “green wave” of traffic lights to their destination. The countdown timer also helps when you are at a stop light as you know exactly how much time you have before the light turns green. Maybe you have time for one last sip of coffee before you need to set off again.
Downsides
TLI is not foolproof. Emergency vehicles can disrupt the timing. Also, traffic flow at off-peak times may throw off the schedule a bit. It also requires you pay for a subscription, and it is not available for every traffic signal that you are likely to come across. Also, this is not available on Audi vehicles built before June 1, 2016. And, even in cities where the technology exists, not every traffic light is connected.
Still, this is an impressive bit of tech that deserves more attention. The less time we spend sitting at a light the more time we get to enjoy life.
Images: Audi; Out of Spec Reviews YouTube Channel
Click HERE to join the AudiWorld forums!
