Smart technologies for traffic are a delicately interwoven system of processes that aid transport workers, drivers, and commuters regulate the flow and efficiency of traffic. Using advanced IoT hardware, sensors technologytraffic.com/2021/07/08/generated-post-2 routers, cellular technology and sensors, intelligent traffic systems can adapt control mechanisms dynamically, like traffic lights, freeway on-ramp meters bus rapid transit lanes, highway message boards, and even speed limits. They can also predict changes in traffic demand, and provide real-time information for road users.
An excellent example is the adaptive traffic signal system in Pittsburgh. Stephen Smith, a professor at Carnegie Mellon University’s (CMU) constructed his first traffic signals in a congested area of East Liberty in the city. He saw immediate results. Drivers drove 25 percent more efficiently and spent 40 percent less time in traffic.
The system works by collecting information from sensors that are monitoring the traffic coming in and then adjusting their timing in real-time, as well as spotting pedestrians at intersections and giving them enough time to safely traverse the street. The sensors send their raw data to a central hub where it is processed by artificial intelligence. The data is then transmitted back to the intersections by 5G-enabled cell networks.
These systems are also able to enable better, more precise simulation of risk-minimizing scenarios that a human traffic planner could not accomplish – all in real-time. This is a significant step towards Vision Zero, the goal of safe road-driving where both vehicles and humans can travel together without colliding.