[pete c]

Why are we still using the same technology we've used for over a half century?

That technology consists of magnetic detectors buried in the pavement. Such devices, when they do work, still require a vehicle to come to a complete stop and wait at a minimum, a few seconds before proceeding.

This wastes a tremendous amount of fuel.

I would think that we would now take advantage of video camera systems which could look much further down the road for approaching traffic and switch the light early enough that said traffic wouldn't even have to slow.

Also, such a system could have a certain level of intelligence which would allow it to extend or shorten lights if it sees other traffic behind it. It could also delay changing lights for a short time to keep approaching traffic in the already green direction, to clear, before changing. Doing so would help eliminate the potentially dangerous practice of "beating the light".

Of course, smarter traffic lights would cut into the ticket writing racket and we can't have that now, can we? Notice that when it comes to writing tickets, video technology has been implemented fully.