IBM's Patent-Pending Traffic Lights Stop Car Engines

theodp writes "I'm sorry Dave, I'm afraid I can't let your engine idle. The USPTO has just published IBM's patent application for a 'System and Method for Controlling Vehicle Engine Running State at Busy Intersections for Increased Fuel Consumption Efficiency.' Here's how Big Blue explains the invention: 'The present disclosure is directed to a method for managing engines in response to a traffic signal. The method may comprise establishing communications with participating vehicles; responding to a stop status indicated by the traffic signal, further comprising: receiving a position data from each participating vehicles; determining a queue of participating vehicles stopped at the traffic signal; determining a remaining duration of the stop status; sending a stop-engine notification to the list of participating vehicles stopped at the traffic signal when the remaining duration is greater than a threshold of time; responding to a proceed status indicated by the traffic signal, further comprising: sending a start-engine notification to a first vehicle in the queue; calculating an optimal time for an engine of a second vehicle in the queue to start; and sending the start-engine notification to the second vehicle at the optimal time.' IBM notes that 'traffic signals may include, but are not limited to, traffic lights at intersections, railway crossing signals, or other devices for indicating correct moments to stop and to proceed.'"

Re:Roundabouts!

[Anonymous Coward]

Here, in Spain, we love roundabouts. We put them everywhere.
And then, we put stop light on them.

That's efficiency.

Re:Railway crossing?

[PopeRatzo]

So, when you try to beat a yellow, you lose power steering and brakes?

I vote for ejection seats.

I've got a simpler invention

[michaelmalak]

How about first they invent a 60-second kill switch on the dome light so that when your children leave the dome light on all night, and then jump the car in the morning, you don't have to rev the engine at every stoplight to have a hope of restarting the car after leaving the destination?

Re:Railway crossing?

[ehrichweiss]

Think of all the fun you could have with the people who are talking on a cell phone, smoking a cigarette and reading the newspaper while driving..