[tormeh]

There's also the issue of technical problems with for example traffic lights. I remember an occasion in Berlin where the traffic lights broke down on a major intersection with long queues. The right of way ended up being solved in a contest between the status quo competed with the impatience of those who were waiting. The only way as a pedestrian to get across was to step out into the street so cars would stop, which was a bit uncomfortable. Worked out alright, if not terribly efficient. Fixed pretty fast, I think, but an AI would still have to handle, uh, dynamic traffic in western countries.

Ideally, the AI should be able to figure out how the dynamics of such a situation work and not create a jam or something.

[Ar-Curunir]

In California if the traffic light breaks down then you're supposed to stop as if there was a stop sign; all the same rules apply.

[halomru]

In Germany a completely black traffic light has no meaning, rules are as if it wasn't there. Most traffic lights have the usual signs for priority roads for this situation.

But a broken traffic light is a situation that is unfamiliar to drivers, and at peak hours the crossing is guaranteed to be either difficult to navigate or to have suboptimal traffic patterns (otherwise there would be no traffic light in the first place). And of course pedestrians have to improvise (and Germany has a lot of pedestrians compared to the US)

[icebraining]

Arguably, the city should dispatch a traffic guard to deal with the situation.