Google Green Light
Started in late 2022, Google Green Light, also known as Project Green Light, is a program developed and run by Google to improve traffic patterns at intersections around the world. The service uses AI (artificial intelligence) to analyze traffic, how long vehicles sit at red lights, how many vehicles transit various intersections, and other traffic-related data. Based on its data, recommendations are proposed to the Department of Transportation about traffic light timing changes to reduce the time vehicles sit at red lights. While reducing traffic light wait times by 30% or more is the primary goal, a secondary goal is reducing vehicle emissions by at least 10% to lessen their negative impact on climate change.
Google Green Light started analyzing traffic at intersections in Seattle, Washington, and recommended a 10-second traffic light change for two intersections as an initial proof-of-concept. The two changes helped reduce stop-and-go traffic through five intersections by nearly 30% and improved overall traffic flow for a busy multi-block stretch of road.
With the success of the pilot test in Seattle, Google Green Light expanded to analyze intersection traffic patterns in cities around the world in 2023. Google is making continued improvements to enhance the AI analysis further to provide better recommendations to transportation departments in those cities and future rollouts.