Smart Traffic Light - Sensors as Enablers for an Intelligent Intersection

Traffic lights are essential parts of the roadside infrastructure. Today’s installations use static, time-based control algorithms and limited sensors to control the traffic streams passing the crossroads. Intelligent sensors encompassing complex situations are enablers for more efficient traffic flows, reduced waiting times and resulting violation of traffic rules and consequently accidents. Additionally, such sensor concepts can contribute to reducing pollutants being beneficial for the environment.

The project Smart Traffic Light

1. developed novel concepts for intelligent sensor systems in the area of infrared and magnetic field sensors for the
2. detection of different road users and pedestrians within complex situations

to achieve the above mentioned goals.

The smart sensors and concepts being focus of this research project detected multiple classes of traffic participants and have been designed as cyber physical systems that can be integrated in the traffic light in an economic way.

Low pixel infrared sensors already deployed for indoor environments have been extended for the use in traffic control systems achieving a higher recognition range and detecting different road users. Challenges laid in the higher number to road user classes and the harsher environmental conditions such as high ambient and background temperatures.

Magnetic sensors based on the GMR and TMR effect have been the second technology investigated. In opposite to traditional magnetic sensors these sensors are characterized by an extreme high sensitivity also enabling them to detect light-magnetic and paramagnetic objects. Research focus was the fingerprinting of road users and sensor fusion.

Since both sensor types are designed to only detect object classes and not individual objects or persons, the system also contributes to privacy very important to devices monitoring public areas.

**The project Smart Traffic Light was partially co-funded by the European Commission under the European Regional Development Fund (www.efre.gv.at)  according to article 4 ERDF and the county of Lower Austria (www.noe.gv.at).