Intelligent Traffic Management System (ITMS) — Smart Solution for Future Cities
Introduction
Intelligent Traffic Management System (ITMS), is one of the advanced solution to the congested traffic conditions face by many cities.Those cities which are transmuting from rural to urban cities also created similar chaos. As a result of rapid industrialization and urbanization, many cities are facing increased volume of population which resulted in an unplanned city infrastructure. Unplanned infrastructures includes Road & Junctions, Sewerage Networks, and Utility Ducts etc.
Increased population will be requiring Multi-mode Transport System for seamless daily commute. Because of the unplanned City infrastructure, heavy traffic congestion, traffic violations, road accidents and a disconnected Transport System will be a curse to the growing population.
How Information and Communications Technology (ICT) enables Smarter Traffic Management System?
A Smarter or Intelligent Traffic Management System (ITMS) will enables a well-managed traffic on the city roads. Solution will diminishes the traffic congestion, environmental pollution, less accidents & violations and restructure the improved utilization of Multi-Mode Transport System.
ITMS services emphasis on four key areas of traffic management & road safety:
- Develop a sense of order on the roads by efficiently prosecution of traffic violators and traffic law enforcement
- Enhance Situational Awareness of existing traffic conditions on real time basis
- Develop ability to assimilate and Analyse Real Time Traffic Information and historic trends to support decision making on traffic management strategies
- Create linkages to support Information sharing through traffic controllers, Variable Message Signs, Public Address (PA) systems etc.
Vital Components of the System comprises of:
· Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) System
· Red Light Violation Detection (RLVD) System
· Speed Violation Detection System
· PA System
· E- Challan System
· Adaptive Traffic Control System
· Centralized Control Command Center
Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) System is one of the traffic enforcement solution which utilities Optical Character Recognition (OCR) technology for identifying and determining the numbers from the license plate of vehicles. Images of Vehicle is captured through CCTV camera and the captured image is analysed using dedicated computer software. Once the software recognizes the characters with the help OCR, it will automatically give the number on the screen.
ANPR helps in identifying the details of stolen vehicles like when, where and through which route the stolen vehicle has gone. Another use of ANPR system is to ensure seamless entry at Parking gateways, where reading the vehicle number plates automatically and provides entry to the Parking slots.
Red Light Violation Detection (RLVD) System & Speed Violation Detection System (SVD) are the other traffic enforcement systems where the vehicle violations are captured through a CCTV camera based on the event trigger.
In the case of RLVD, there will be a detection camera/ evidence camera which will be capturing the image of the vehicle which are violating the red signal at the same time, ANPR camera will capture and decode the vehicle licence plate. Evidence camera will capture both the Vehicle position as well as the Traffic red light as a proof of violation.
Likewise, SVD System is also has a similar mechanism of determining violation. But instead of having an evidence camera as a trigger, it might be using a Radar technology to detect and trigger the camera for capturing a fast-moving vehicle. The major challenge in SVD system is that the camera should be capable enough to capture the snapshot of a fast-moving vehicle in both day time as well as night. In such a scenario, higher frame rate camera is the only option.
Once all the systems are in place, the identified violations based on the ANPR system will be recorded in a central server from where a ticket/ challan will be automatically generated and sent to the Vehicle Owner through e-mail/ sms/ by post.
Adaptive Traffic Control System (ATCS) is one of the important ITMS component in restructuring the issues pertaining to City traffic. In the previous case, the system deals with Traffic Law enforcement issues whereas in ATCS, it is a different kind of business. ATCS focus on how to improve the free flow of Traffic in a City with the help of true technological intelligence.
Conventional traffic signals work on the principle of fixed timing at the Traffic controllers. That means, traffic controllers at each junction will be pre-set with a fixed time, so that there will be fixed time for red, green and orange lights in each arm of the road. Similarly, all the junctions will be working in synchronously (An automatic system with a pre-set timing). The conventional system once had a greater advantage but now, because of the ever increasing population, more vehicles are on the city roads which drastically increased the waiting time at each junctions. Increased waiting time means, an increased fuel consumption, increased environmental pollution thus it creates severe health issues to the general public. At the same time, this system doesn’t have any mechanism to provide information about the volume of traffic congestion.
ATCS has resolved all the drawbacks of the conventional system. It captures the volume of traffic flow at each arm of the road and dynamically determines the timing of traffic signals based on its intelligence. It uses specialized Machine Learning (ML) algorithms for this purpose. The system captures the traffic volume in real-time from each arms of the junction and sends the data feed to a Central Server. Central server is having an Artificial Intelligence (AI) engine, which receives similar input from multiple junctions across the city. All the data feed received is been processed by the AI engine and with the help of ML algorithms, it determines how much time need to be set at each junction in the city to ensure a steady and hassle-free vehicle movement.
ATCS system will give a real-time information about the traffic congestion at various parts of the city and the same can be informed through the general public through digital information boards along the city roadside.
How a city administration benefits from ITMS?
All the above solutions will provide an insight into the traffic pattern of the evolving city. SVD, RLVD and ANPR system will give an understanding about the areas within the city which is having frequent traffic signal violations, accidents etc. Volume of traffic signal violations can be clustered so that regulations can be enforced at those zones. Whereas in the case of road accidents, such areas can be grouped so that the City Administrators can investigate more about the accident zones. City Administrators can take a decision on the matter for example, whether the causes of accidents in such zone is due to the inappropriate design of the road,or because of the road needs improvement/ re-surfacing etc. City administration can take serious note on such issues and make quick decisions.
How a city administration benefits from ATCS?
ATCS will give a real-time information about the traffic volume in the city. It gives an overall understanding about the city roads that, which all roads need to be widened enough to contain the increased volume of traffic. Also, it will provide interpretation regarding multiple route options for traffic movement, i.e., which all roads can be converted from 2-way roads to 1-way roads.
Thus, for any developing or developed country, ITMS plays a key role in shaping the city traffic to the next level by reducing traffic violation & congestion.
Image & Video Courtesy
Image 2 source: http://www.titanhz.com/anpr-systems-traffic-monitoring-solutions.aspx
Video 1 Source: İSBAK — Full Adaptive Traffic Management System (ATAK) Video — ENG — published by İSBAK Akıllı Şehir Teknolojileri in youtube
