Innovative traffic light functions from Swarco

First published in Intertraffic Innovation News - April 30, 2020

Swarco has always taken on the role of pioneer and innovator in the field of traffic signalling. That commitment continues and two recent innovations, PedCom and AirDec, underscore how the company is using intelligence to enable traffic lights to perform important new functions.

Demand-based activation of green times for road users (push buttons for pedestrians, cameras/loop sensors for vehicles) has been part of road traffic for years. Swarco plans to go one step further with PedCom. An infrared-based sensor unit in traffic light signals will detect objects, and especially pedestrians, both in the waiting area and on pedestrian crossings and, if necessary, extend the green time. This will help wheelchair users and those using walking aids to cross the road. PedCom will benefit vehicles since empty crossings would mean that traffic can proceed, optimising traffic flows and reducing pollution and emissions.

Swarco plans to use the same technology in traffic lights to detect and count vehicles.

Air quality is an important indicator of the quality of life of the inhabitants of cities and towns. Traffic, especially stationary or slow-moving vehicles, can negatively impact air quality. Monitoring and gathering air quality data are of vital importance for generating an overall view on the status of a city. Swarco has developed AirDec a modular environmental station for measuring air quality integrated into the traffic light. This should make it possible to establish a measurement network for relative monitoring of the air quality of a community. Long-term monitoring could identify hotspots and possibly mitigate them by appropriate traffic, organisational and planning measures.