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Milton Keynes gets AI based traffic lights

by on17 May 2017


I can’t let you turn right Dave

Milton Keynes, the UK “New Town” which became obsessed with roundabouts, is now about to pioneer another traffic hell - smart AI-based traffic lights system.

Milton Keynes is investing £3 million in the technology to make sure that 21st century car drivers get a new form of neurosis.

The scheme will see 2,500 cameras rolled out across the city in a bid to prevent traffic bottlenecks by giving priority to emergency vehicles, public transport and cyclists.

While current traffic light systems rely on sequencing, the new technology, developed by Vivacity Labs, proposes a new approach using artificial intelligence. The smart computing model is able to detect heavy traffic and adjust the lighting patterns accordingly.

If the cameras detect a larger number of buses or cyclists it will give out a longer green light signal than normal. If no cars are waiting at a turn, the system can also skip the turn phase in the light cycle.

According to Vivacity Labs, the trial should be in place by September next year and will cover a 50 square mile area.

Yang Lu, CTO at Vivacity Labs said that the AI camera accurately identifies and reports road usage, removing the need for cumbersome manual interpretation and significantly reducing the potential for human error.

"It can improve traffic today as it can be linked with existing management systems to keep vulnerable road users, such as cyclists, safe by giving priority at lights, or alter signs to direct traffic away from congestion," he added.

If the trial is successful in Milton Keynes, Mark Nicholson, Vivacity Labs’ CEO, suggested that the scheme could be rolled out in the capital with Transport for London (TfL).

 

Last modified on 17 May 2017
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