California-based England Van Lines plans to retrofit its fleet of moving trucks in San Jose with new stop-start technology allowing drivers to coast through traffic lights without having to stop. If a stop is required, the vehicles will automatically cut their engines in order to conserve energy.

Internal computer processors, which were recently integrated with the vehicles, will soon be paired with stop-start software and hardware capable of automatically turning a vehicle's engine on or off, depending on the situation.

Currently, company trucks are already able to use high definition cameras to survey the surrounding environment and inform the driver how to best drive defensively in heavy traffic or during poor weather, according to the company.

“The new technology will take advantage of wireless signals emitted by traffic lights in order to inform the driver of the exact speed that needs to be followed in order to avoid upcoming red lights. If the driver for some reason catches the red light anyway, then the engine will automatically shut down as soon as the driver makes a full stop,” the company said in a release. “The engine will then automatically reactivate seconds before the light turns green.”

The company did not disclose the manufacturer name of the technology it is using.

 

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