5 ways that smart intersections might improve safety and efficiency
Tech companies see lucrative contracts in traffic management. Here's how they might change your commute
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Today we have smartphones, smart watches, smart light switches and thermostats, and even smart door locks and refrigerators. Intersections and traffic networks are getting smarter too, and thanks to a partnership between Cubic Transportation Systems and IntelliTraffik, Canadian drivers will soon notice more smart technology deployed where they drive. The new partnership seeks to serve Canadian provinces and agencies to provide a wide range of innovative traffic management and intelligent transportation solutions that will contribute to improved road safety, reliability, and efficiency.
Smarter intersections and traffic networks can optimize traffic signals in real time, and respond to traffic conditions and unpredictable congestion. This reduces vehicle stop- and idle time, as well as overall travel times, and improves the fuel efficiency of every vehicle using the roadway.
“The intersection is becoming more important than ever before and we share the mutual commitment to improving Canadian intersections, both from a safety and mobility perspective, said Steve Ennis, Executive VP of ATS Traffic division IntelliTrafik. “Together, our teams will collaborate on the design, install, and servicing of data-driven, connected smart intersections.”
So, just what can smart technology do for motorists? Here are five key benefits of smart-intersection technology, coming soon to a roadway near you.
Smart intersections can make your car more fuel efficient
In the U.S., idling wastes about three billion gallons of fuel per year, creating around 30 million tons of CO2 annually. By intelligently controlling traffic signals, the fuel- and energy efficiency of all cars and trucks along the route can be improved.
Enter Cubic’s SynchroGreen technology, a real-time adaptive traffic control system that optimizes signal timing for both vehicles and pedestrians to reduce travel time, delays, and stops. It’s all about maximizing the use of available roadway space while reducing fuel consumption.
According to Cubic, the SynchroGreen system has demonstrated an ability to save commuters over 16,000 hours of delay annually, alongside a 40% reduction in arterial travel time, an average 35% decrease in travel time on a typical weekday, a 38% decrease in peak-hour travel time, and a 10% reduction in total system delay.
Smart intersections can make crosswalks safer
Cubic’s Gridsmart aims to improve safety and efficiency in intersections everywhere. Many streets are designed to accommodate drivers in cars, leaving pedestrians and cyclists vulnerable without dedicated bike lanes or proper signal times.
The U.S. Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) reports that drivers struck and killed 7,485 people walking in 2021, the highest single-year figure of the past four decades.
Designed with safety features that aim to reduce fatalities at intersections, Gridsmart employs hardware and software to create a complete omnidirectional-imaging, real-time computer vision product that works with the traffic controller to manage intersections for cars and bikes, and to provide data on intersection performance.
Using the Bell Camera, the system allows traffic engineers to adjust signal timing and traffic flow strategies, and enables real-time monitoring and visual assessment. Using a fisheye camera with a wide field of view along with real-time computer vision tracking and deep neural-net classification, it tracks and discerns cyclists from other road users as they pass into and through intersections.
With the ability to identify different types of traffic in an intersection, Gridsmart can analyze road user behaviour and protect those on or near the road. The Gridsmart system tracks pedestrians and cyclists as they travel through the intersection, providing the correct amount of green time for individuals, based on their chosen path and speed. This enables the system to improve safety for pedestrians and cyclists while simultaneously improving intersection efficiency for multiple traffic types.
Smart intersections can enable faster emergency responses
Getting first responders to the scene of an accident quickly can mean the difference between life and death, and smart technology offers a solution to barriers caused by gridlock and traffic. Though you’ve probably noticed the line-of-sight receivers perched atop traffic signals, GPS-based signal preemption promises to help first responders clear the flow farther ahead of their position and minimize slowdowns from jams.
Smart intersections can improve traffic flow
Detection is critical to enabling smart intersections to optimize the flow of people and goods through cities. As cities continue to grow, smart sensors in advanced traffic management systems become essential to efficient and responsible city management.
Sensors and analytics can be used to improve traffic flow. Sensors can gather data about everything that moves toward and through an intersection, and smart technology offers real-time analytics that help predict behaviour and make adjustments when needed. For instance, the timing of traffic lights can be set to respond to real-time traffic to decrease accidents.
In addition to increasing crosswalk safety, Gridsmart’s single camera with an ultra-wide-angle lens tracks all movement in its field of view, which allows for real-time management of intersections including the detection of cars, trucks, bicycles and pedestrians while recording turning movements, vehicle counts, and even vehicle lengths.
Smart intersections can make for smarter city planning
Data collection by smart devices is a powerful tool for urban planning. Smart street lighting can help cities save money while also utilizing the technology to collect data and aid in urban planning. These lights have sensors that may gather a variety of anonymized datapoints, including temperatures, the number of bicycles on the road, and parking availability.
Cities can improve their services for transportation planning, emergency response, and pedestrian safety by making such data available to application developers. In this way, smart intersections not only help traffic flow more safely and efficiently, but also provide city officials with precise data that can help them make better planning decisions.
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