By Charles Pekow — One day, you may be able to mount your cellphone on your handlebar with an app that can tell you to adjust your pace so you don’t get caught at red lights. Researchers at the University of Oregon have developed FasTrack that works in bike corridors on and near campus. They are currently working on expanding the app so it will work in the outside world. It can time traffic lights within one second with 85 percent accuracy.
So far, the app works for timed traffic lights. Now the researchers are trying to expand it so it will consider lights that have to be changed by activation (sensor or pushing a button). Thus far, results haven’t been as successful, only reaching 78 percent accuracy. The app will tell you if you have to slow down or speed up to maintain a “green wave.”
The researchers plan to look at more roads in Portland, OR to see if they can adjust for date, time, season and possible weather. The system wouldn’t work with older traffic signal systems. No word yet on when it will be available outside Oregon.
