Adding a white traffic light can help driverless cars increase traffic flow

In order to optimize the flow of traffic, many autonomous vehicles communicate both with each other and with municipal traffic control systems. Scientists now suggest that an extra white light at controlled intersections could help bring human drivers into the mix.

First off, as long as autonomous vehicles (AVs) remain a rarity, the old green/amber/red traffic light system probably works best — no need for an extra color. associate However, Prof. Ali Hajbabaie and colleagues at North Carolina State University believe this could change as AVs become more common.

This is where the “white phase” comes into play.

The idea is that when groups of AVs approach an intersection, they communicate with each other and with the computer that turns on the lights at that intersection. In order to get through the intersection as quickly and efficiently as possible, all of these AVs coordinate their movements – a certain number of cars going in one direction wait, while a certain number of cars going in the other direction pass.

During this phase of traffic flow, traffic lights are switched to white. This leaves the drivers out not-Autonomous cars know that the right of way is dictated by AV traffic, and all that She All they have to do is follow the car in front of them – when it stops, they stop, and when it crosses the intersection, they do the same.

At the same intersection where the vast majority of oncoming cars are not AVs, the lights revert to their standard Green/Amber/Red routine – the white light just doesn’t light up.

According to the scientists, computer simulations based on real traffic flows show that the idea has its merits. For example, in some cases, the white phase could reduce traffic delays by over 90%.

“The simulations tell us several things,” says Hajbabaie. “First, AVs improve traffic flow regardless of the presence of white phase. Second, the white phase further improves traffic flow when AVs are present. This also reduces fuel consumption as there is less stop-and-go traffic.” Third, the higher the proportion of traffic at a white phase intersection that is composed of AVs, the faster the traffic moves through the intersection and the better the fuel consumption figures.”

That being said, he adds that even in scenarios where only 10% of cars were autonomous at an intersection, the white phase still reduced traffic delays by 3% – and the traffic light didn’t necessarily have to be white, only some agreed – on the fourth color.

An article about the research was recently published in the journal IEEE Transactions on Intelligent Transport Systems.

Source: North Carolina State University

Source: newatlas.com