Ford tests networked traffic light technology in Aachen and Düsseldorf, Germany. If necessary, it can be used to automatically switch to green when emergency vehicles with flashing lights approach.
On the way to the accident site, rescuers often have to go through a red traffic light.
“Whether it’s a fire truck on its way to put out a fire, or an ambulance called in an emergency, emergency services getting stuck in traffic and going through a red light, it can all be fatal.”says Martin Sommer, test engineer at Ford of Europe.
Thanks to network technology, such accidents could be avoided in the future by automatically giving the green light in advance when an ambulance is approaching.
In Aachen, Ford tested a street with eight consecutive traffic lights and two road sections with three traffic lights each outside the city, including the network infrastructure. The test vehicle had infrastructure communication hardware and hardware for rapid device control.
In an emergency, the test car sent a signal to the traffic lights to change the light to green. Once the vehicle passed the intersection, the traffic light returned to normal operation.
By the way, the new technology will help not only emergency services, but also ordinary drivers. The system automatically connects to the adaptive cruise control to calculate the vehicle’s approach time. As a result, the car comes to the traffic light when the green light is switched on. Even when a red light threatens to stop, the system can reduce hard braking, making driving on the road smoother.