A host of vehicle manufacturers have introduced stop-start systems to cut down on excessive fuel consumption while drivers are stuck in traffic jams and gridlock. Now however, an organic computing based approach to traffic light control aims to solve the traffic jam issue altogether.
According to research published in the International Journal of Autonomous and Adaptive Communications Systems, traffic lights would autonomously react to changing traffic conditions. The co-ordination mechanism for neighbouring traffic would rely on locally available traffic data and communication among intersections, which in turn would result in a distributed and self organising traffic system.
The authors of the research are members of the Organic Traffic Control Collaborative, which is a joint project between the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology and the Leibniz Universitat Hannover. The organic computing system is based on the presence of large autonomous systems which are equipped with sensors and actuators. They react to the environment and can communicate freely, organising themselves in order to perform the actions and services required.
In terms of the urban traffic system, the sensors would effectively be closed-circuit TV cameras that are mounted on road gantries while the controllers would be the traffic lights.
At the moment, traffic lights have either fixed timer controls or a centralised control system. However, these systems have their flaws and traffic jams can occur frequently because of the lack of response to the traffic itself.
Tests of the new system at busy junctions in Hamburg, shows that the average number of vehicle stops can be reduced significantly and delays can be avoided.
