Researchers at North Carolina State University are proposing an additional white traffic light that will act as a sign to human drivers and passengers that they should follow the lead of self-driving vehicles moving through crossroads.
Driving is fundamentally changing. In the future, human drivers will be sharing the road with autonomous vehicles. The transition (转变) to autonomous vehicles is progressing with each passing year and humans are no longer the only ones driving cars. This makes it urgent for traffic lights with a fourth color to become a reality.
The white traffic light would be equipped with wireless Bluetooth technology and would engage when the number of autonomous vehicles driving on the road at any given time exceeds a certain threshold (阈值). Autonomous vehicles would be in communication with each other and with the traffic lights at crossroads, within a certain range. Any human drivers in the mix would be informed to follow the lead of the vehicle in front of them via the white light: stop if it stops; continue if it continues.
In simulation models, autonomous vehicles were shown to improve traffic flow on their own. The higher the percentage of autonomous vehicles at a crossroads, the faster the traffic moved. “The white light can be used to coordinate (协调) traffic in any situation involving autonomous vehicles and tells human drivers what's going on, so that they know what they are supposed to do as they approach the crosswords,” says civil engineer Ali Hajbabaie.
As an example, most recently, Tesla’s problematic full-self-driving vehicles have been criticized after a car crashed into a fire truck. Consequently, the potential risks make researchers suggest adding a fourth color to traffic lights in the coming years.
6. What does the underlined word “this” in paragraph 2 refer to?
A.Driving along the roads. |
B.Driving through crossroads. |
C.The transition to many human drivers. |
D.The transition to autonomous vehicles. |
7. What does paragraph 3 mainly talk about?
A.How drivers react to the traffic. |
B.How the white traffic light works. |
C.How Bluetooth technology changes. |
D.How autonomous vehicles communicate with each other. |
8. Why is the white light used according to Ali Hajbabaie?
A.To coordinate traffic. | B.To slow traffic flow. |
C.To stop human drivers, | D.To Control traffic lights. |
9. What is researchers’ attitude towards adding a fourth color to traffic lights?
A.Indifferent. | B.Negative. | C.Doubtful. | D.Favorable. |