In a possible future where self-driving cars are common on our crowded roads, traffic lights might have a fourth colour. This colour would only be added to help automated cars work better.

What are traffic lights?

Traffic lights are signalling devices that are placed at road intersections, pedestrian crossings, and other places to control traffic.

Researchers have suggested adding an extra traffic light at an intersection where self-driving cars (AVs) are smartly controlling the flow of traffic.

This light would let drivers know that AVs are in charge of the intersection. Experts say that this would make the roads less crowded and reduce the amount of fuel used overall.

Also, cars and trucks that drive themselves won’t have to “look” at the white traffic light. This is because they will be able to talk to it without wires.

Key facts!

• Experts also think that this could be a sign to human drivers and passengers that they should follow self-driving cars through the intersection.
• This is because the signal will be visible to human drivers and passengers.
• The red lights will keep telling people to stop.
• The colour green will still mean “go” in the future.
• Researchers say that bright lights will also let human drivers know that they should just follow the car in front of them.
• With this idea, autonomous vehicles can talk not only to each other but also to the traffic lights at intersections.
• For example, they could give priority to routes that converged and had more cars on them.
• Thus they could give advice on the best speeds.
• If there are any human drivers in the group, they will be told to follow the white light of the car in front of them.
• So, they will stop if the car ahead of them stops, and they will keep going if the car ahead of them keeps going.
• Also, when the number of driverless cars at an intersection drops below a certain level, the traffic lights will go back to their normal red, yellow, and green patterns.
• In simulated models, AVs were shown to improve traffic flow on their own and even more so when the white phase was added.
• This had a good effect on reducing fuel use.
• The results of the study are written up in a paper that was published in the journal IEEE Transactions on Intelligent Transportation Systems.

The YouTube channel “Interesting Engineering” features an explanation of the science behind traffic signals.

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