RED Hot Or Dead Cold: Is This Red Light Helpful?

perfect

While the concept seems great there are both positives and negatives here. Positives being items like being able to determine when the light will change so you don't have to stop completely and can roll up to the light or prepare to go. Or maintaining a constant speed so you can pass through when it turns.

The downsides would be that when the light turns and you are basically rolling or driving and then speeding up or jumping into the intersection right at the green you would find yourself potentially dealing with light runners who fly through 1-2 seconds after a red. Not to mention the street racers using it as a drag strip light.

I think a more helpful tool would be a green light countdown so you know how MUCH longer the light is going to stay green for, giving you ample time to see that you are not going to make it in time.

A quick way to deal with the downside you described it once the progress bar is complete implement a randomized timer between 0 and 30 seconds... At least you'll know the light is getting ready to change, but won't know exactly when.

There is a second count down for the pedestrian crossing where I leave. We have had this for a while. When that reaches 0, you know the green light will appear.

They have those in NYC, very useful.