We’ve reached a sort of sliding door moment in human existence, at least regarding AI. Soon we’ll know whether it’s a brilliant innovation which will improve life as we know it or an evil force that will end civilisation. Could go either way, really. But as AI gets really good at pretending to be a person, we’re having to come up with new, creative ways to tell us apart from the machines.
Scientists at North Carolina State University have proposed something radical in order to help differentiate between humans and robots behind the wheel when self-driving cars inevitably do hit our roads in the coming years.
They’ve suggested adding a fourth light to traffic lights – a white light which would indicate to you and I that there’s a robo-car about. When the white light is on, drivers would simply follow the car in front of them to minimise delays and accidents at intersections.
If that all sounds a bit confusing, don’t worry. Dr Ali Hajbabaie, the project lead, said in a press release that they had actually found that automated vehicles (AVs) ‘improve traffic flow, regardless of the presence of the white phase. [Also], if there are AVs present, the white phase further improves traffic flow’.
‘The higher the percentage of traffic at a white phase intersection that is made up of AVs, the faster the traffic moves through the intersection and the better the fuel consumption numbers.’
Basically, once AVs become commonplace, these lights will reduce traffic, which is never a bad thing.
This is all unlikely to be implemented for a little while, not least because driverless cars aren’t actually allowed on UK roads yet. However, within the next decade or so don’t be surprised if you end up coming across a mysterious fourth traffic light. Just keep calm and follow the automated vehicle in front of you without complaining – you don’t want to get on the bad side of a robot with a two-tonne machine at its disposal.
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