A 4th Traffic Light Color in Missouri? Concept Will Anger Many

I understand the science, but I'm not sure many in Missouri are ready for this concept to become reality. Should a 4th traffic light color be added to the traditional scheme? I predict the reason why will anger many.

It's been awhile since I took my driver's test (Editors Note: understatement of the year), but I grew up knowing the red meant stop, yellow meant slow down/yield and green meant go. Why in the world would anyone recommend changing that?

Traffic Technology Today shared an interesting concept that has been developed after a study into AV's. (more on that abbreviation in a second) They say it's inevitable for a fourth color to be added to traffic lights.

What is an AV? In this case AV stands for "automated vehicles". That's right. A fourth color added to traffic lights in Missouri for automated cars? You might want to sit down for the reason why. Traffic Technology Today says that the fourth light "would enable autonomous vehicles to help control traffic flow".

That would mean a four-color traffic light would mean red equals stop, yellow means slow down and prepare to stop, green would mean go and white...well, white would mean that automated cars are "dictating the traffic flow" and human drivers should follow the automated vehicle in front of them.

Having been born and raised in Missouri, I understand how my fellow natives think and there's no way the general populace is going to accept robot cars (aka "driverless") being given priority in traffic. 

I am a certified computer tech and I get the technology and how wireless signals in automated vehicles could easily communicate with traffic signals to optimize traffic flow, but my birth state is not ready for this now and for the foreseeable. If you also live and drive in Missouri, imagine your fellow Missourians trying to decipher why the traffic light is now white in front of them and what that would involve. I shudder at the thought.