A delicately knitted network of processes, smart technology for traffic can help transport workers motorists, commuters and drivers manage traffic flow and efficiency. Utilizing the latest IoT hardware, sensors routers, cellular technology, and sensors, intelligent traffic systems can modify control mechanisms in a dynamic manner, such as traffic lights, freeway on-ramp meters, bus rapid transit lanes, highway message boards and even speed limits. They can also help forecast shifts in traffic demand, and provide a variety of live information to road users.
Pittsburgh’s adaptive traffic signal system is a good example. Stephen Smith, a professor at Carnegie Mellon University’s (CMU) He installed his first traffic signals in the heavily congested area of East Liberty in the city. The immediate results were evident. Drivers drove 25 percent farther and were able to drive 40 percent more efficiently.
The system works by capturing data from sensors that monitor the traffic flow and adjust their timings on the fly. It also detects pedestrians in intersections and gives them enough time to cross the street safely. The sensors send their raw data into an centralized hub, where it is processed by artificial intelligence. The data is then transmitted back to the intersections via 5G-enabled cell networks.
These advanced systems also provide better, more accurate simulation of risk-minimizing scenarios that a human traffic controller could not achieve – and all in real-time. This is a significant step towards Vision Zero, the goal of a road with no accidents where humans and vehicles can share the road without collision.