Is that light about to turn red? BMW has announced that they will be the first manufacturer to integrate EnLighten App, by Connected Signals, into a car.

Here’s how it works:

• Drivers with iOS Devices see traffic signal data on the vehicle’s display in real time while in the app including a countdown to when the signal will change.
• Based on the current vehicle position, as well as its speed, the EnLighten app offers a recommendation about whether or not to stop for the traffic light or proceed through.
• An audio alert notifies the driver about a pending change in the signal they are approaching.
• At intersections where there are dedicated traffic signals for turns, the activation of the vehicle’s turn indicator tells the app of the driver’s intention to turn so that only the status of the relevant signal is displayed.

In order for the EnLighten app to work it requires a city to have an integrated network of smart traffic signals. Supported cities currently are Portland and Eugene, OR and Salt Lake City, UT offering more than 2000 traffic lights. More cities will follow.

The EnLighten app is currently available to be downloaded from the Apple AppStore.

image courtesy of BMW