The beginning of the end is here. For traffic lights, that is.

We all know that familiar feeling of being stuck at a red light for what seems like ages and wondering if you’ll ever make it to your destination on time. Wouldn’t it be nice to know how much time remains before the light changes, or to not even have to stop at all? The 3Birds Template team certainly thinks so, and now, that dream is becoming a reality.

Audi has developed industry-leading technology by partnering with Traffic Technology Services that allows drivers to see the legal speed they should maintain to make it through the green light ahead, and if you should happen to be stopped by a red light, how much time remains before the light turns green. Many are saying that as this vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) technology advances, the need for traffic lights could be eliminated. 

In the near future, it could be used with navigation to re-route vehicles to a faster path, control engine start and stop functionality, and even direct autonomous vehicles. Imagine a world with less time wasted in cars, less energy used, and more time for you to do what you want to do instead of waiting to get where you're going. Sounds nice, doesn’t it?

This tech innovation takes the cake for the most impressive feature we've seen. It's currently available in the Audi Q7, A4, and A4 allroad built after June 1, 2016, but be on the lookout for more Audi vehicles to be equipped with the feature soon. Currently, the technology is available as part of the subscription-based Audi connect PRIME service and is limited to Washington, D.C. and Las Vegas, although additional highly populated cities will be equipped with the technology in the coming years. (We'll let you in on a little secret - Miami is soon to follow.)

If you’d like to learn more about the innovative technology included in Audi models (or if you'd like to see it for yourself), contact us today to schedule a test drive.