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Audi to Add Traffic Light Countdown Clocks to Cars

When you roll up to a red light, you'll see a countdown clock on the dashboard showing how long until it turns green.

 & Angela Moscaritolo Managing Editor, Consumer Electronics

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Audi cars will soon be able to talk to traffic lights and tell you when they'll turn green.

Audi Street Light CountdownThe luxury automaker on Monday announced that some 2017 models will be equipped with a feature that enables the vehicle to communicate with traffic lights in select cites across the US. So, when you roll up to a red light, you'll see a little countdown clock on the dashboard and head-up display that shows the remaining time until the signal changes to green.

In a statement, Audi's General Manager for connected vehicles, Pom Malhotra, said this represents the company's first step in "vehicle-to-infrastructure integration."

"In the future we could envision this technology integrated into vehicle navigation, start / stop functionality and can even be used to help improve traffic flow in municipalities," Malhotra said. "These improvements could lead to better overall efficiency and shorter commuting times."

Audi of America plans to roll out the new feature later this fall in "select smart cities and metropolitan areas across the country." The company did not specify which cities. It will be available on 2017 Audi Q7, A4 and A4 allroad models built after June 1 of this year.

Meanwhile, Audi is also reportedly gearing up to take on Tesla by launching three electric car models by 2020 as part of a "strategic overhaul," prompted by parent-company Volkswagen's ongoing emissions scandal. Audi also intends to funnel more resources into the development of digital services and autonomous driving technologies.

About Our Expert

Angela Moscaritolo

Angela Moscaritolo

Managing Editor, Consumer Electronics

My Experience

I'm PCMag's managing editor for consumer electronics, overseeing an experienced team of analysts covering smart home, home entertainment, wearables, fitness and health tech, and various other product categories. I have been with PCMag for more than 10 years, and in that time have written more than 6,000 articles and reviews for the site. I previously served as an analyst focused on smart home and wearable devices, and before that I was a reporter covering consumer tech news. I'm also a yoga instructor, and have been actively teaching group and private classes for nearly a decade. 

Prior to joining PCMag, I was a reporter for SC Magazine, focusing on hackers and computer security. I earned a BS in journalism from West Virginia University, and started my career writing for newspapers in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia.

The Technology I Use

My little Florida beach bungalow is brimming with smart home tech. I have a smart speaker or display in every room, allowing me to control other connected devices by voice. The Nest Hub on my bedside table lets me set wake-up alarms, control my smart light bulbs, and set the temperature on my smart thermostat. I use the Amazon Echo Show 8 on my kitchen counter to browse recipes, reorder protein powder, check the weather, and watch the news while I do dishes. 

Because I suffer from allergies, air purifiers are essential. My favorite model is the Dyson Purifier Cool TP07, which doubles as a fan and continuously sends indoor pollution data to its companion mobile app. 

My pitbull Bradley sheds, so a good robot vacuum is a must. I currently use a premium Ecovacs Deebot that can both vacuum and mop, empty its own dustbin, and wash its own mop cloth. 

For fitness, I like to mix up my routine with cycling, indoor rowing, running, and strength training in addition to yoga. I take classes on the Tonal 2 smart strength training machine, I row indoors on an Aviron machine, and track my beach runs with an Apple Watch while listening to music on my Apple AirPods Pro. On the weekends, I love riding e-bikes like the rugged, beach-friendly Aventon Aventure for fun and fitness.

My job involves a lot of virtual meetings, so a quality webcam, microphone, and ring light are important. I use the Jabra PanaCast 20 webcam, the Elgato Wave: 3 microphone, and a Yesker tripod ring light. 

As for my preferred phone platform, I'm an iPhone person, but I've also extensively used Android for product testing.

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