“I wonder when that light up ahead will turn green.” “If I speed up I can make the light before it turns red?” You know you’ve thought it; you may have even said these things out loud. Wouldn’t it be great to know when the light will change?
If your BMW is equipped with the BMW Apps option and you have an iPhone, now you can know, in advance, what those traffic lights are about to tell you.
BMW is now the first carmaker to let owners of its cars make use of the Enlighten app, developed by Connected Signals. Using the app, traffic signals are shown on the car’s central display in real time. The app can be manipulated using the iDrive controller.
EnLighten gives a representation of the upcoming traffic light, along with a countdown timer that shows when the signal will change. Based on the vehicle’s position and speed, Enlighten will advise the driver on whether to stop for the light or plan to go through. An additional audio alarm will tell the driver when a change in the signal is about to happen.
Some intersections have traffic lights controlling turning lanes as well as straight-through lanes. Activation of the car's turn signal lets the app know what are the driver’s intentions, so the app will only display the traffic signal applicable to that turn.
Does this sound useful? Of course it does. Does it sound too good to be true? Yes, unless you live in Portland, Oregon, Eugene, Oregon, or Salt Lake City, Utah. Those are the only cities that currently have the integrated network of smart traffic signals required for EnLighten to work. However, more cities will eventually move to the smart traffic signals that will allow Enlighten to work there as well.
The EnLighten App is available now from the Apple App Store. Information about Connected Signals—the company that created Enlighten—is at http://www.connectedsignals.com.
Enlighten has been certified by the BMW Group for safe in-car use. The app uses the BMW Group’s A4A (Apps for Automotive) technology. Drivers may connect their iOS devices—iPhones—to the car through the USB socket or snap-in adapter. Once connected, users can see and manipulate the various EnLighten functions, as long as the car has the BMW ConnectedDrive Services option.
We’re positive this will be a great help for safe driving, to let vehicle operators, for example, know that they don’t have enough time left to make the green light no matter how fast they drive. On the other hand, no responsible driver will keep their foot on the floor because they have advance knowledge that the light will turn green in 3—2—1—now, because that would not allow for a margin for late arrivals to the intersection from cross streets.
As with many driver aids, and especially this one, the information on the screen can be used for good or evil. Responsible BMW drivers will only use it for good. We hope.—Scott Blazey
[Photo courtesy of BMW AG.]
