![]() “We have connected devices and smart cameras throughout the city, collecting data about traffic density,” says Dr Borovica-Gajic. SMARTS then runs a live simulation of the city’s traffic networks, creating an invaluable source of information for researchers. After the Australian Integrated Multimodal EcoSystem (AIMES) platform captures data directly from Melbourne's streets via a network of sensors, SMARTS integrates with the AIMES platform to obtain this data. That’s where the University of Melbourne’s traffic simulator, the Scalable Microscopic Adaptive Road Traffic Simulator, otherwise known as SMARTS, came in. “But where they needed our expertise, prior to real-life deployment, was in understanding the broader impact on city-level traffic.” “They have a capability to connect freight vehicles and send their positions to an intelligent traffic management system. “Telstra has really great technology in this space,” says Dr Borovica-Gajic. While it showed promising real-world results, Telstra needed to understand the impact that prioritising freight traffic would have on the rest of the road network. Telstra had developed the enabling technology, and initially ran a pilot project involving five traffic lights in the coastal NSW city of Wollongong. In fact, by prioritising freight trucks, the aim was to ultimately improve traffic flow for all road users. The researchers wanted to ensure that doing so would not then create flow-on effects that would delay traffic further along the network. The information adjusts what traffic is let through intersections and when.įor this research project, the AIM strategy prioritised freight trucks ahead of other road users. We are not talking about all or nothing.” Getting smart about trafficĭr Borovica-Gajic is one of the researchers behind the simulation study, which analysed how connected freight vehicles could be prioritised at intersections to optimise traffic flow.Īutonomous Intersection Management (AIM) strategies use information that is communicated from vehicles and received by sensors on traffic lights. “We have seen huge benefits when 10 to 20 per cent of vehicles are being connected for solutions such as dynamic traffic signal control or lane reconfiguration. “If even just 10 per cent of vehicles on the road could be connected and send their GPS coordinates, that alone can have a big impact. Dr Renata Borovica-Gajic, a Senior Lecturer in Data Analytics in the school of Computing and Information Systems, notes that even small improvements can mitigate the environmental and economic impact of heavy traffic. While fully autonomous vehicles and connected traffic systems might seem like a distant dream, a hybrid network of smart and conventional vehicles is already the reality. With Australia preparing for self-driving vehicles on our roads, can smart technology play a role in keeping traffic flowing through our complex road networks?Ī team of University of Melbourne researchers has partnered with Telstra to answer this question, by modelling the impact of intelligent traffic lights that communicate with connected trucks. The bottlenecks also have flow-on effects for all other road-users. The slower that vehicles move from A to B, the higher the costs for operators, businesses and, ultimately, consumers. This is largely caused by major freight bottlenecks disrupting the efficient delivery of goods throughout the country. Meanwhile, freight costs have grown by 50 per cent in the past decade. That number is expected to exceed $40 billion by 2030. In fact, it’s estimated that congestion costs the economy $20 billion annually. Traffic congestion is not just an inconvenience for time-poor travellers, but it has severe ramifications for the Australian economy. This innovative technology prioritises freight vehicles at intersections, while minimising the impact on other road users. To help solve the problem, the University of Melbourne and Telstra have partnered on research to model the impact of smart traffic lights. Traffic congestion is estimated to cost the economy $20 billion a year. Smart traffic sensors that reduce gridlock – and unlock the economy
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |