This past week, Audi began showing off it’s new Travolution technology near its Ingolstadt, Germany headquarters. Travolution is a vehicle to infrastructure communications system which improves efficiency and safety on the road. Did I lose you yet?
While this system is capable of doing a lot of different things, one of the big features is a method of having the car communicate with traffic lights and other cars around it. The car sends out a communication to the traffic signals to help in timing the lights. The idea is to reduce fuel consumption by cutting down on idling at stop lights, and in many cases eliminates the need to even stop at a light. On top of that, the traffic signals can send timing information to the car, which will then recommend a driving pattern or speed for the driver so that the don’t need to stop as often. And this is just a small part of what the system does.
Audi has included a special online payment system in the cars so that drivers can pull up to a gas station and never have to pull out their credit card. The same thing goes with paying for parking in a parking garage. I’m not sure how this added value really saves on fuel consumption, but it might save a little time for the driver.
Right now the Travolution system is being tested on 15 cars and 150 traffic lights in Ingolstadt, but so far the testing has been off to a good start. On average, the cars only have to stop at every 5th light and the fuel consumption has been cut down by 17%. Audi will begin testing on a larger scale for the next four years, and will start testing in the Frankfurt am Main area soon.
This definitely seems like a good move, and it will be interesting to see how soon Audi will make this available. I have a feeling it may be a while before we see it happen, especially here in the States, but I’m ready for something new. And for those of you who want to see it in action, I have included a video made by Audi that shows off the technology.
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