JLR connected tech helps drivers avoid red lights

Jaguar Land Rover is trialling a new Vehicle-to-Infrastructure (V2X) technology that prompts drivers with the correct speed to avoid upcoming red lights.

According to JLR, the Green Light Optimal Speed Advisory (GLOSA) technology could help improve the flow of traffic as well as reduce emissions that result from harsh braking and acceleration at junctions. The system works by receiving data from traffic lights and computing a safe speed for the driver to maintain to reach the lights while they are green. This information is then presented as a green segment on the speedometer. JLR claims the technology will help reduce time spent sitting at red lights, estimated to be about 20 per cent of total driving time.  

“This cutting-edge technology will radically reduce the time we waste at traffic lights,” said Oriol Qintana-Morales, JLR connected technology research engineer. “It has the potential to revolutionise driving by creating safe, free-flowing cities that take the stress out of commuting. Our research is motivated by the chance to make future journeys as comfortable and stress-free as possible for all our customers.”

GLOSA is currently being trialled on a Jaguar F-Pace as part of the wider £20m UK Autodrive project, which is funded by the UK government. JLR envisions red light avoidance working in tandem with several other driver-assistance technologies such as Intersection Collision Warning (ICW) and Intersection Priority Management (IPM), which safely manage how connected vehicles interact at junctions. Other systems developed under UK Autodrive include Emergency Vehicle Warning (EVW), where drivers are alerted of approaching blue light vehicles, and Collaborative Parking, which provides real-time information about free parking spaces either in the vicinity or close to the driver’s final destination.

As well as developing and showcasing technology, UK Autodrive has investigated other important aspects of automated driving – including safety and cyber-security, legal and insurance issues, public acceptance and customer interaction, and the potential business models for turning autonomous driving systems into a widespread reality.

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