Audi to make cars that can talk to traffic signals

An Audi logo is pictured on the hub a of car during the second media day of the 86th International Motor Show in Geneva, Switzerland, March 2, 2016.[Photo/Agencies]

BERLIN - German carmaker Audi is introducing technology that enables its cars to communicate with traffic lights, aiming to make driving less stressful, the company has announced.

Known as "vehicle-to-infrastructure" or "V-to-I", the technology allows Audi cars to exchange safety data with traffic lights and other infrastructures on the road through the cloud system.

Specifically, it will tell drivers how much time is left before the light turns from red to green with a countdown on the dashboard. It will also remind the drivers when they are not going to be able to make it through the intersection before the light turns to red, according to Audi.

"This is our foray into V-to-I," Pom Malhotra, general manager of Audi's connected vehicles division told Reuters. "This is designed not as a safety feature but a comfort and convenience feature."

The "V-to-I" will first be put into use in several cities of the United States. Audi of America said the technology has been introduced to A4 models built after June 1, 2016 and will be installed in some Q7 models next year.

"It could bring benefits in easing journey time. For example, if you are driving through a city at a quiet time of day with little other traffic, the lights could switch to let you through," Aston University's professor of industry David Bailey told BBC.

"Longer term, though, we are looking at the development of connected and autonomous cars that will communicate with each other and the infrastructure around them," he said.