Currently reading: The fuel saving traffic light
Eko light uses LED countdown system

A fuel-saving and congestion-easing traffic light system is under development.

Built by Belgrade-based designer Damjan Stankovic, the Eko light's right light has an LED countdown on it.

Stankovic says this allows motorists to prepare for driving away as quickly and as efficiently as possible and without out any delay. It also means drivers are able to turn off their engine, safe in the knowledge they won’t be caught out by an abrupt green light.

Although its makers hope the Eko light will be trialled around Europe, no cities have committed to installing the system yet.

Karl Berridge

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par 7 December 2009

Re: The fuel saving traffic light

pdmc wrote:

Exactly. There is no claim that anything new has been pioneered here. Shame the article can't give clarity to that fact.

In using a circular version of the universally understood 'progress bar' concept, it avoids limiting its relevance to those countries and markets that use our numbering system. In doing so it can be used anywhere in the world, regardless of what type of numeric characters they use and still mean the same thing.

As a suggestion why not use the local characters if numeric ones are not recognised in the country. Also, I am not sure how many people around the world have access to computers and are farmiliar with the 'progress bar' concept. Will the progress bar move slower if the lights are red for longer? Using a numbering system tells you without doubt how long you have to wait e.g. 90 = 90 seconds, a moving bar does not tell you this and with different lights being red for different times, people will still have no idea about how long to wait.

I think the issue is that it is a design for something that does not need it, apart from to make it look pretty.

Panoramix 7 December 2009

why so much hate ? :)

I know the guy who designed this. He didn't claim invention of a traffic light or anything like it.
I think his idea was to assure you that the traffic light before you isn't broken and won't stay red until someone repairs it. Because, some red lights last more than other. So, it's good to know that something's going on in that traffic light and that it will, at some point become yellow

For further info, check the site http://relogik.com/eko

KHD 7 December 2009

Re: The fuel saving traffic light

the only thisg thses will do is promote drag racing at lights