We have all been there. A quiet city street, not a car in sight, yet you seem to catch every traffic light just as it has turned red. Audi not only appreciates this problem, it is taking active measures to combat it and the company says not only could it potentially save drivers a huge amount of time, it could also drastically reduce vehicle emissions.

Audi has created an experimental system called ‘Travolution’ that allows cars to talk to each other and to traffic lights. The aim is to synchronise lights as far as possible with vehicle speeds so that a vehicle rarely has to stop at red. The system will show a suggested speed on a dashboard display to avoid having to stop. Audi says by cutting out stop-start driving not only will journeys be easier, but there would also be a big cut in fuel consumption.

The system is currently on trial in the centre of Ingolstadt, Germany, where 46 intelligent traffic lights have been installed and devices fitted to many Audi cars. The project is just a pilot at present, but if the technology proves successful, it could feature on production cars in a few years time.