Smart mobility is a key issue in the field of transport.
The idea is to keep traffic flowing and help people get where they need to be, in a smarter way. To this end, industry players are innovating and introducing advanced technologies and solutions. Examples include intelligent traffic management systems, free flow charging, autonomous vehicles, intelligent location solutions and more.
At the same time, traffic congestion, aging infrastructure, rapid urbanization and increasing sustainability requirements also intensify the need for smart mobility solutions. One way to overcome these obstacles is to use intelligent video surveillance technology for improved traffic management, making roads safer and more efficient for each user and at the same time reducing emissions.
Perceptual intersections
Based on intelligent video analysis, traffic video surveillance cameras identify increased traffic at intersections by counting vehicles crossing the intersection, measuring their speed and counting vehicles in line at the same time, all in real time. The aggregated data informs the system when to switch the red or green traffic lights, ensuring a more efficient traffic flow. Other effects of this solution include improved safety, the ability to inform drivers about the average speed on their route and waiting time and to reduce stress for commuters and harmful emissions.
Road safety
Traffic accidents can be disastrous, not only because they cause road congestion, but they can sometimes have much more serious consequences, leading to injuries and even casualties. These incidents have many causes, including those drivers who intentionally violate traffic rules. Modern video surveillance technology can help detect all types of violations, such as illegal parking, entering a red light at an intersection, driving in a forbidden direction, speeding, returning to areas where this action is prohibited, and so on.
Using ‘dep learning’ technology, cameras can recognize these events, and authorities can be notified immediately and take the necessary action even before traffic incidents occur. Scenarios can be stopping a driver in the emergency lane or notifying a driver who has parked his car illegally. Furthermore, charging systems can be incorporated to regulate access to certain protected areas of the city or to discourage access for heavy traffic vehicles.
Public information
Communicating information is essential for informing city drivers and travelers. Alerts and updates help everyone save time, avoid frustrations and simplify daily mobility. This can be done through an application on your mobile phone or on the dashboard of your car, or through traffic orientation screens located in visible locations, such as congested areas, transportation hubs, malls, and markets.
Traffic video surveillance cameras generate real-time traffic flow and incident data, sending it to a central platform where it is aggregated with data from other systems, such as radar and GPS systems. Among the benefits are improved awareness of traffic information, improved travel comfort, improved mobility in the city and much more.
Intelligence goes further
The solutions presented above are already common, have reasonable costs, and continue to evolve. Thus, intelligent video surveillance is present on the prototypes of autonomous vehicles, where it collaborates with other technological systems such as radars or artificial intelligence algorithms and even, in some experimental solutions, with the video cameras on the route.
The presence of video surveillance in cities will become common, but in order to achieve optimal effectiveness, it is necessary to update the regulatory framework.