A fourth color might be added to traffic lights to better realize the potential of self-driving vehicles, as stated in a recent paper by researchers at North Carolina State University in the US.

Self-driving vehicles can do more than just drive—they are able to sense their surroundings and upload information. The added white lights would be used to signal to human drivers that autonomous vehicles are managing the upcoming traffic flow intelligently. “The white lights will tell human drivers to simply follow the autonomous vehicle in front of them.” one of the study authors Ali Hajbabaie told the university’s website.

Simulated(模拟的)models showed that autonomous vehicles were able to improve traffic flow on their own. Introducing the white light also has a positive effect on reducing fuel consumption. The higher the percentage of autonomous vehicles at a crossing, the faster the traffic moves, reducing about 40 to 99 percent of the total delay time.

As self-driving technology thrives, much infrastructure(基础设施)is needed. To begin with, the vehicle’s network that collects data about the environment and shares the data with other vehicles needs to be intelligent. High-precision maps are needed for autonomous vehicles to plan routes in detail. They can provide both updated information on traditional maps and real-time changes, such as accidents. For example, when driving around a curve, the navigation(导航)system in the vehicle needs to calculate the safe speed based on the map’s information. And if the area is foggy, the network has to alarm the other cars to slow down.

“Walkability” linked to reduced hospital costs and admissions

​Neighborhoods designed to encourage people to walk to and from the shops and public transport will help reduce hospital costs and admissions linked to residents, new Canberra research shows.

The research project, from the University of Canberra’s Health Research Institute, has revealed a relationship between a suburb’s “walkability score” and a reduction in both hospital costs and admissions and added to the growing debate surrounding the role of “social determinants” in health outcomes.

Coauthors Dr. Yan Yu and Vincent Learnihan studied ACT Health data from 30,690 hospital admissions across 88 of the ACT’s suburbs, and then matched them against each suburb’s “walkability score”. That score is a measure of how easy it is to get around a particular suburb, including the number of interconnected streets, footpaths and the presence of shops, public transport stops, restaurants and services within walking distance of each other.

Dr. Yu said the study showed that those suburbs rated as “walkable”—with a walkability score of 20 units or more—were linked to a 12.1 per cent lower hospital cost for those residents and a 12.5 per cent lower rate of hospital admissions.

She said the admissions data they focused on included cancers, cardiovascular diseases, endocrine, nutritional and metabolic diseases and diabetes.

But the research also showed that in Canberra, some 80 per cent of all the city’s suburbs were still “car-dependent”, which Mr. Learnihan said showed more needed to be done to help encourage Canberrans to walk, ride and use public transport.

While Mr. Learnihan commended the ACT government’s existing “active travel” programs, he said the study showed that wider and better funded initiatives to improve the “walkability” of new and existing suburbs could help save on health costs and improve Canberrans’ quality of life.

Dr. Yu said such changes could be as simple as improving footpaths and bike paths, increasing public transport access and improving local shops.

Off-Peak fares are cheaper tickets for traveling on trains that are less busy, offering good value for money. The tickets may require you to travel at specific times of day, days of the week or on a specific route. Where there is more than one Off-Peak fare for a journey, the cheaper fare is called Super Off-Peak.

You can buy Off-Peak tickets any time before you travel, either online or at a local station. The travel restrictions for your Off-Peak ticket will depend on the journey you are making. The tickets must be used on the date shown on the ticket. For Off-Peak return tickets, related journeys must be made on the date shown on your ticket as well.

Children aged five to fifteen get a 50% discount for all Off-Peak fares. Up to 2 children under 5 years can travel free with each fare paying adult. Railcard holders get l/3 off all Standard Class Off-Peak fares. Senior, and disabled Railcard holders also get l/3 off all First Class Off Peak fares. Please note that minimum fares and time restrictions may apply to tickets bought with a Railcard.

If you plan on a train trip with friends or your family, you may get group travel discounts. Three or four can travel for the price of just two adults-leaving everyone more money to spend on the day out! If you are traveling in a group of ten or more at Off-Peak times, you may be able to obtain a further discount through the train company you are traveling with. Contact the train company directly and be aware that you may need to book tickets in advance.

For more information, please visit www.nationalrail.co.uk.