Smarter traffic lights, calmer commuters

How often have you cursed out a traffic light that took forever to change? Or the lights on a long stretch of road made you stop at every cross street, just when you felt you might actually make it to work on time? Take heart: Less painful commutes may be ahead, with advanced electronic control systems that apply artificial intelligence to the task of keeping traffic moving. The benefits promised are more than just tamping down some road rage. Less time stuck in traffic, multiplied by many thousands of commuters, can lead to less fuel burned and less carbon emitted.