Select Audi vehicles will have a red light countdown feature in the Miami area likely by summer of 2017, per The Next Miami, which is a part of the company’s "Audi Connect Prime" program.
While Audi claims "a better informed driver means a less stressed driver" I think this feature will actually be counterintuitive in Miami, creating even more havoc in the land of senseless driving.
Ask Miamians what their top daily stressor is and many will say their commute to and from work. Most residents have come to the realization that South Florida drivers generally are insane, for the lack of a better word.
Whether it’s motorcycles going 140, weaving in and out of lanes on the highway, or those impatient gas guzzlers who hit pound their horns the millisecond the light turns green, driving in this city can be a very unpleasant experience.
Having access to knowing exactly when a light will change is going to create even more issues and stress on our roads because the impatient drivers -- and there are MANY of them -- will not only now lean on their horns just before the light turns green but I see them hitting the gas even more quickly, which will potentially create more accidents considering there many drivers who force their way through the impending red light when they should preparing to stop.
And what exactly is the benefit? The peace of mind knowing you have 30 seconds or three seconds remaining at a light? Plenty of time to catch a Pokemon, I guess. While it may sound like a cool feature on the cusp it just doesn’t make much sense, especially in this city.