Slot-Based Intersections Could Kill Traffic And Reduce Pollution
Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), the Swiss Institute of Technology (ETHZ), and the Italian National Research Council (CNR) have devised a slot-based intersection that could mean the death of traffic and a massive reduction in pollution levels because traffic lights would no longer be needed to control the flow of vehicles.
The solution would mean that future autonomous vehicles would slot their way through gaps by modulating their speed on approach, maintaining a safe distance between other cars while they do so. A little bit like this…
Of course, a system like this would need some getting used to by its users (imagine how many times you’d clench before and during an intersection approach), but if the autonomous future we’re geared up for will in fact be as clever as we’re told to believe, then there’s no reason why slot-based intersections couldn’t revolutionise travel times, pollution, stress levels and anxiety behind the wheel.
For the rest of us, it’ll be interesting to see how these autonomous cars and slot-based intersections cope when we take our petrol-powered turbo V8 Earth killers for a spot of intersection chicken…
Comments
Driving is a right!
This is how I ecpect this to be…
https://youtu.be/ufK2XRGUjuc
Honestly, the only way intersections without lights could be realised would be forbidding people to drive there cars themselves, because only computers would be able to control this well enough to keep the accident-ratio low…
How ‘bout this, we start a petition to ban the production and sale of autonomous vehicles to the public. That sound fair? Because autonomous cars will eliminate the modding community; no modding community means no car parts; (1) no car parts means shipping companies lose business and eventually charge higher costs to transport; higher transport costs means less trips made; less trips means less fill ups; less fill ups means higher gas prices; people will want electric or alternative fuel vehicles; which means cars you can’t drive that can’t go BRAAAPBRAAAP. (2) no car parts mean no racing; no racing means a lot less money for oil companies and then they go bankrupt; which then collapses the oil market which drives the entire world into chaos and disarray. (3) Moog will never be able to find anything to fit on his Honda.
that sound like apocalyptic stuff
your viewpoint is only economical. autonomous cars aren’t supposed to be good for economy. They spend billions on this stuff. they’re trying to “save the environment”.
I can’t wait for people to take all the skill and fun out of everything I love and care for… said no petrol head ever.
Looks nice, could be very useful for a daily.. Meh, real cars will die.
This post doesnt belong on Car Throttle
What about roundabouts?
still don’t get why go through all that trouble of making auonomous cars. instead why not improve public transport to the point that you wouldn’t need a car at all?
This is just wrong on too many levels.