IBM seeks patent for intelligent traffic lights
By Vlad Savov 
posted May 26th 2010 7:19AM
posted May 26th 2010 7:19AM
[Thanks, Yuka]
posted May 26th 2010 7:19AM
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isn't this encouraging another way for people cars to stuff up on the roads? I predict bad starters to be the cause of many traffic jams if this becomes reality.
@Punisher Plum The idea is sound. Some European drivers are taught to turn off at long-wait lights. Also, in many places (I've only seen them in Egypt), there are countdown timers for the lights turning green. That seems like a simpler solution than all this expensive gadget malarky IBM is looking at.
@kupo They have those countdown timers in India, especially in New Delhi.
So much for this high-tech gadgetry being beaten out by a simple LED display...
thought it were a chinese or indian traffic light...
@kupo I have seen them in Spain, too. Along with animated pictograms for pedestrians!
Well here in Charlotte, People can't even understand the "light turns green, we all move" mentality. It's one at a time and only about 5 cars get through an average light. Not like living up north where the light turns green and everyone stomps on the accelerator (which is optimal).
I will say that I've been in Boulder, CO in the dead of winter in a car that wasn't even warmed up and had bicyclists knock on my window to tell me to shut my car off. I guess it goes to both extremes.
@Punisher Plum
Hey! I think the know that street in the photo!
We have those countdown timings in many cities here in Canada too...in Toronto, pretty well every single street light counts down the time until it turns red.
@kupo agreed...i am not sure how much better efficiency IBM hopes to achieve over standard LED displays that simply count down the number of seconds left till the next change. and it's not just the traffic lights that IBM will have to change...they will have to change the cars themselves (or at least add some kind of a receiver in them) if they hope to communicate with them...
to me, this looks like one of those patents which, if granted, will languish on the shelf for a few decades...
@lespaul85 They also don't understand the concept of using a turn signal here in Charlotte, except for when they accidentally hit it and drive for 10 minutes before they realize its on.
@McKirf Canary Wharf in London - it's a cool sculpture
@Schmitty338
In this case I think the desire would be for countdown timers that show how long until the light turns GREEN, allowing drivers to decide whether it's worth stopping their engines -- and quelling general annoyance at seemingly endless red lights. Although I suppose a countdown could increase the risk of people running red lights at intersections that appear deserted if they know they'll otherwise be waiting 2-3 minutes.
STOP!
Patent time!
@Glitch LOL!
"maybe we'll see it in action when hovercars go mainstream"
Yes, because hovering in the sky is when you want your engine to shut down.
that's... an ass-ton of lights.
@carg0 Is it the Traffic Light Tree art installation at Canary Wharf in London, England.
More details can be found at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Traffic_Light_tree
@Silver Just when I though it was PS. Thanx.
@carg0 Almost; it's actually only 1015 kilobutts of lights.
@Atkins
I thought it was a photoshop as well.
@mr88 @Atkins You guys need to start reading Cracked
And Engadget needs to stop eating comments
@Silver Thanks for the link. The sculpture is a fantastic metaphor for government efficiency, and all the more ironic since it was commissioned by a government agency! =-D
@Silver
Wait... Canary Wharf? How did that survive the war between the Daleks and Cybermen? You'd think with all that metal and lights one side would have shot it by accident. :p
We definitely need smarter traffic lights, but I think this is on the wrong track. A better use of technology would be improving the traffic light's understanding of how much traffic is approaching the intersection from each direction, and timing cycles to optimize flows. Sensors under the first spot behind the white line just aren't cutting it.
@CtrlBurn
I have been preaching this for years. I can't tell you how pissed off I get when I see a train of cars have to stop at a light for one car to turn left at an intersection. It happens all the time and it is comepletely unnecessary. Or the lights that have no sensors at all and are run on simple timers. I can't tell you how many times I just blow through them when there is no one at the light. Keep in mind my daily commute is through the countryside and small towns at 5am so no one is awake. It is still illegal, but I am not going to kill my mpg just to sit at a meaningless light.
@tmartindill
Ahem.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roundabout
I hope it has error checking for the times the wrong notification is sent
Nice picture. Shows how our society works.
I don't think this is a good idea. A far better way to implement this would be found in some of the newer cars that automatically turn off the engine when the car is standing still and put out of gear.
As soon as the driver depresses the clutch, then the engine starts up and it doesn't significantly delay the time it takes to pull away. Getting drivers to turn off the car and then start it again when the lights change will take significantly longer.
@Silver Nothing could possibly go wrong with that system
how about not having to stop at all due to the traffic lights looking to see if there is oncoming traffic?
@joebrech In Taipei, countdown timers help with this a great deal already, as they add a few seconds already to account for people going through the last bit of the yellow light. Also, it greatlu cuts down the number of people who enter the intersection early anticipating a green light. This also, as previously mentioned, allows you to turn off your engine and know when to turn it back on, though this is normally only practiced by a few scooter riders.
Countdown lights are great.
I can't see countried like India falling for this trap! :P
Skynet anyone?
@Helenius
No
@wickywills
Clearly you haven't watched The Sarah Connor Chronicles
Let's take it one step at a time. Instead of just giving up on the fact that people have to wait at lights, why not make intelligent lights that detect who is waiting, and adjust the pattern appropriately? How many hours are wasted because people sit at red lights without not a single car passing by in the other direction. Traffic lights need to learn traffic patterns at their particular corner, be aware of what cars are present, and act accordingly
I think it's not too much of a stretch that cars have a GPS device in that activates when it comes into proximity to a traffic light. This data could then be used to calculate which lights activate first, there could be some sort of HUD or LCD interface to add to the traffic data such as which direction you want to go or something.
Also, a HUD traffic light would be useful in the times you can't see the traffic lights or shows when the other traffic lights (are about to) change. This could also tell you which lights are changing next, and how long until it's your turn.
I know a lot of people would be sceptical about GPS, the people that think the government would track them, but I live in the UK - the most watched country in the world - so if the government wanted to they could track my number plate from London to Aberdeen. Besdies it could be something that only operates within a certain range or frequency or can only communicate with the traffic light (probably could be hacked, yes).
Then again, if you're in a car, you've probably got a phone, which probably has a GPS chip in anyway...
Also, how many people use Navigation software: TomTom, CoPilot etc...
Skynet?! :o
@noodles2k
Damn, you beat me to it. This is how it will begin.
@gw812
or cylon.
How about just having electric motors in the cars? Oh yes I did.
@ Engadget, I hope when one turns off the engine to the hover car it doesn't just fall to the ground..
Turning your engine on and off repeatedly is bad for your starter. The marginal gains you will see at the pump are offset by the wear and tear put on the starter.
Shouldn't good traffic signal design and timing preclude the need to stop and wait at lights? It should be possible to time signals in such a way that traffic gets packaged into groups of cars that hold a certain speed through all lights. Perpendicular streets would be on opposite timing so that the cars pass just after a "packet" has exited the intersection. The only time you should have to wait is to get placed into the first group.