You're cruising down the highway when all of a sudden endless rows of brake lights appear ahead. There's no accident, no stoplight, no change in speed limit, or narrowing of the road. So why is there so much traffic? It's due to a phenomenon called a phantom traffic jam. Benjamin Seibold explains why it happens and how we might prevent it in the future. [Directed by Cris Wiegandt, narrated by Addison Anderson, music by André Aires, AIM Creative Studios].

Benjamin Seibold: What is phantom traffic and why is it ruining your life?

What is phantom traffic and why is it ruining your life?

Minor disturbances in dense traffic can trigger phantom jams, a phenomenon where small disruptions amplify, causing widespread slowdowns.

Dynamic instability in traffic, akin to patterns in nature, occurs when car density exceeds a critical point, spiraling into congestion.

Autonomous vehicles, by maintaining uniform speeds and anticipating traffic waves, could drastically reduce phantom traffic jams.