Running a red light is a fairly common occurrence that can result in a serious crash, so Porsche has come up with an inventive in-vehicle lighting system that mirrors changing traffic lights, thereby giving drivers the best chance of perceiving and reacting to changing traffic lights. The patent was discovered by CarBuzz and filed with the Germany Patent and Trade Mark Office.
While it is no substitute for recklessness, the technology could reduce the chances of driver error whereby distraction or geography causes the driver not to see or respond to a traffic light quickly enough. Besides averting the chance of running a red light, this could also reduce the chance of hazardous emergency braking when spotting a changing light too late; this scenario could result in a rear-end collision.
In the Porsche design, the system makes use of a camera, a light source, and a means of light control inside the car. These lights can be positioned on the top of the instrument cluster but also in other areas of the interior, glowing in red, orange, or green to mimic changing traffic lights.