New technology is the key to eliminating traffic congestion according to a new study carried out jointly by Ford and Vanderbilt University in the US. The study found that simple driver assistance systems, such as Adaptive Cruise Control, can have a major impact on cutting down so-called phantom traffic jams.

Everyone will have experienced the frustration of jams forming on major roads apparently for no reason. These are actually the result of poor driving habits such as following the vehicle in front too close, causing unnecessary braking, merging into traffic without signalling and distracted driving. Once one driver hits the brakes, a chain reaction can occur as other drivers tap their brakes, causing the flow of traffic to grind to a halt.

The new research demonstrates that such hold-ups could be minimised using Adaptive Cruise Control. On a closed Ford test track, 36 drivers simulated normal highway traffic using ACC technology. Those drivers then drove the same course, but without the technology, meaning they had to manually brake and accelerate the vehicle. The results show vehicles using ACC reduced the impact of a braking event more than those vehicles without the activated technology allowing traffic to flow. Even with just one in three vehicles using ACC, the test yielded similar traffic-busting benefits.