BMW has teamed up with the people behind the EnLighten app to create an app which combines car location data with city traffic management systems to give drivers the status of nearby traffic lights and real-time predictions of when the lights will change. The app analyzes the car’s position and speed to better predict if the driver has time to cross the intersection with ease. The app then offers a recommendation to the driver with either an option to stop for the traffic light or drive forward. The system also sends an audio alert to notify the driver about any pending changes.
BMW’s EnLighten app is limited to select cities
The EnLighten app will operate on any BMW model with the BMW Apps option, but the app is currently available for just three cities: Portland and Eugene in Oregon, and Salt Lake City. There are versions for iOS and Android users, and the app also offers limited availability in other parts of Oregon, California, Las Vegas and New Zealand.
Lauren Keating for Tech Times added, “Not only can EnLighten help impatient drivers better plan their routes to avoid red lights, the app will also help increase gas mileage by reducing the constant braking and acceleration. Plus, it also has a positive effect on the environment as there will be less gas burned along the way.”
The EnLighten app was developed by Connected Signals, a company specializing in traffic prediction. They predict traffic signals by securely interfacing to traffic management systems in cities to locate signal and sensor state information. The information is then combined with speed limit and map information. Everything is converted to a format that is vendor-independent to give a united view of the connected cities.
