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

The video explains phantom traffic jams, which occur without obvious causes. These jams are emergent phenomena that can be modeled and understood. They form when traffic density exceeds a critical level, causing small disturbances to amplify. Driver behaviors, such as braking too late or accelerating too quickly, worsen these jams. Self-driving cars could help by maintaining consistent speeds and anticipating traffic waves, potentially reducing jams and their negative impacts on safety, resources, and pollution.

How might self-driving cars help mitigate the effects of phantom traffic jams?

Discuss the potential benefits of reducing phantom traffic jams on daily commutes and the environment.