Honda has announced plans to begin testing a "driving support system . . . utilizing traffic-signal information" on public roads in Japan next month. Translated from technical jargon, that means Honda is developing a system that can inform drivers approaching intersections of pending traffic-signal status, so that they can time their approach. If it sounds familiar, that's because Honda's concept is nearly identical to the Traffic Light Online idea Audi showed off at this year's Consumer Electronics Show.
Of course, the point of both systems is to reduce fuel consumption and traffic congestion by "coaching" the driver through intersections and minimizing unnecessary acceleration or deceleration. For example, as a driver approaches a green light, Honda's system figures out whether the driver can make it, and if so, displays a recommended (and we assume legal) speed to maintain in order to make the light. By contrast, a driver is alerted as soon as possible when a light they're approaching is going to turn red; this lets them begin coasting right away, saving fuel. Finally, as the driver continues bearing down on a red light, Honda's system displays the time remaining before it turns green again, essentially facilitating light-timing.
- Instrumented Test: 2014 Honda Accord Hybrid
- Instrumented Test: 2013 Honda Civic HF
- First Drive: 2015 Audi A3 Sedan 1.8T / 2.0T
Even though Honda's tech more or less mirrors Audi's in concept and execution, what sets the two automakers' efforts apart is the method by which their systems communicate traffic-light data to the car. Audi's system taps its cars' 4G data connections to mine traffic-signal data from municipalities' traffic-control mainframes. Honda's, on the other hand, uses a roadside or traffic-light–mounted infrared beacon system (connected to each municipality's traffic-control system) to communicate signal data to the car. It's a minor difference, and likely one borne out of Honda's lack of mobile-data–equipped cars. Regardless, Honda will test the technology for about a year using 100 cars along five set routes in Utsunomiya City, in Japan's Tochigi Prefecure.
from Car and Driver Blog http://ift.tt/nSHy27
Put the internet to work for you.
No comments:
Post a Comment