Cities are shifting to smart technology for traffic to cut down on energy consumption and increase road safety as urban traffic congestion is becoming more frequent. In addition, this will help save time for drivers and passengers and reduces emissions. It also helps reduce traffic congestion.
The technology behind this is based on two main elements: Hardware and software. The former is the executing subcomponent, and the latter functions as the command and control center. Both are supported by advanced technology for processing and sensing which include ANPR (automotive license plate recognition) that records information about vehicles’ movements and is able to detect traffic signals.
Depending on which solution is employed, data can be processed on the device by smart traffic lights or transferred to a cloud. The latter allows for more sophisticated analysis and modeling to reduce congestion in traffic and to harmonize the schedules of public transportation. According to Carnegie Mellon University, this can cut the average travel time by 25 percent, while signal wait times are cut by 40%, and emissions are cut by 20%..
In addition to reducing the time it takes to control traffic signals, a smart traffic light system can enhance the flow of the benefits of using modern traffic technologies by data room pedestrians as well as micromobility vehicles like electric scooters and ebikes. This is because they’re often not able to adhere to traditional traffic signal preemption rules. In London for instance the number of crashes involving e-scooters increased by 2800% in the first half of 2021, and therefore it is essential to include them in traffic light control.