SMART MOBILITY | 261
Smarter traffic solutions
A number of projects across the Netherlands are showing the capabilities of innovative technologies in reducing congestion and improving safety on roads Words | Annette Frijns, Dynniq, Netherlands
A number of projects across the Netherlands are demonstrating the capabilities of innovative, efficient and sustainable technologies. These technologies are helping to reduce congestion and improve road safety, as well as reducing the environmental impact. In Helmond, a city in the south of the Netherlands with a population of 90,000, Dynniq has equipped traffic lights with smart technology to improve the flow of traffic in an unusual way. Twenty-five crossings communicate with heavy trucks and turn the lights to green sooner or more often. André Meijer, managing director at Dynniq Mobility, says, “The trucks do not have to stop and accelerate as often, which results in considerable reductions in time, fuel, wear, noise and emission of particulate matter. On top of that, these traffic lights are programmed to take into consideration the city’s policy regarding other traffic, such as cyclists, public transport and pedestrians. A so-called adaptive traffic control system balances all traffic participants’ interests against the desired priorities.” Helmond is one of the major logistics hubs in the south of the Netherlands, which results in a lot of truck traffic. To prevent this heavy traffic from affecting the surroundings, smart mobility technology has been applied. Civilians can thus profit from the improved business climate and still
live in a nice area that has been relieved of heavy goods transport, while that same transport receives additional support from smart cooperative traffic lights along its route. An even wider and more ambitious Dutch initiative is the national project Talking Traffic. Some 20 companies, the Ministry of Infrastructure and the Environment, as well as the provinces and many city councils, have jointly invested €90m (US$106m) in a smart mobility open ecosystem. This ecosystem enables the marketing of new smart mobility services on an unprecedented scale and without technical barriers, providing services for both consumers and professional users. Meijer continues, “Dynniq makes a substantial contribution at all levels with technology as well as new services.” Talking Traffic is not restricted to car traffic. Traffic lights with smart technology recognize cyclists, for instance, who get priority green lights. On cycle highways, cyclists are detected earlier and will therefore have to stop less often, increasing the appeal of the bicycle as a means of transport. The traffic lights can also ‘see’ those who have difficulty walking and are able to adjust the duration of the green light accordingly, making it safer and more comfortable for elderly and disabled road users, thus allowing them to remain mobile for much longer. Furthermore, smart traffic
Above: Cyclists can download an app that detects them approaching a crossing. This increases their chance of a reaching the crossing when the light is green
Annual Showcase 2018 | Intertraffic World
