Tuesday, August 28, 2012
App for avoiding a red light
Fed up of being caught by red lights?
Not only is it frustrating getting stuck behind a red – sometimes for several lights in a row – but stopping and starting all the time is uneconomical when it comes to fuel and can cause car wear and tear. A group of researchers in Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA, are trying to solve this problem, and have come up with a clever mobile phone app.
It’s still being tested at the moment, and there are no reports as to whether it would eventually be released for sale in the UK, but here’s how it works.
Mounting a phone on a vehicle’s dashboard allows the device to take photos of any traffic lights being approached by car.
By sending several photos of the lights to a computer, which analyses the information, the mobile phone then receives an estimated speed at which the motorist should drive to avoid having to stop at a red light.
To avoid the road user having to pick up the handset, the information is not sent via text. Instead, one quick glance at the phone’s screen, without any need to remove it from its mount on the dash, should tell the driver what they need to know.
One would imagine that the app will not encourage motorists to speed in order to avoid the red. It is likely the app will signal that the driver should slow the car so by the time they reach the lights they have turned green again.
I’m guessing that there will also be a message on the screen at times which states something along the lines of ‘sorry – there’s no way you can miss this one – so don’t even try’.
Photo © dlofink via Flickr, under Creative Commons Licence
Labels: app, car, dashboard, fuel, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, mobile phone, red light, speed, traffic light
Friday, December 9, 2011
Getting onto the motorway
When I was taking my driving lessons I found ‘A’ roads frightening enough to tackle with my instructor next to me, so I can well imagine that there is some merit in the new scheme coming into effect next year.
Apparently, road safety minister Mike Penning has stated that soon learner drivers will be allowed to go onto motorways as long as they have a qualified instructor with them. The aim of this initiative is to familiarise learners with the 70mph (perhaps eventually 80mph) speed limit and the motorway layouts, so that their risk of suffering an accident on these roads once they pass their practical test is reduced.
The head of road safety at the AA stated, “This is good news. It will end the ludicrous situation where people can live near a network of motorways and pass their test without ever having been on one.”
I have to say I agree. The first time I went onto the motorway I had to take my dad with me for support and almost missed my exit because I suddenly forgot how to change lanes through fear of the high speed I was traveling at.
Exactly when this scheme will begin hasn’t been reported, but I have a feeling learner drivers will really appreciate the experience. I know I would have.
Photo © Firing up the quattro… via Flickr, under Creative Commons Licence
Labels: 70mph, AA, accident, driving lessons, learner drivers, motorway, road, road safety, speed