4 technology trends shaping the future of traffic management

9月 09, 2021

"Digital technologies are creating new opportunities for cities to reduce congestion and accelerate incident responses, from smart algorithms that detect and report violations; to all-in-one violation detection devices and cameras that capture high-resolution, full-color video – even in the lowest-light conditions," says Jayden Xu, senior ITS solution manager at Hikvision

As the senior ITS solution manager at Hikvision, I was recently invited to contribute to a feature article in ITS International on future trends in 'vision technology' for road and traffic management. Specifically, ITS wanted to know my thoughts on which technological advances or trends in vision technology will have the biggest impact on road transport enforcement over the next year or so.

In response to this request, 4 key trends came to mind that are shaping the future of the industry and helping agencies and authorities to manage traffic flows, detect violations, and respond to incidents more effectively. These are:

1) Digitized ITS infrastructure delivers improved traffic outcomes

Digital technology solutions are creating a range of new opportunities to reduce traffic congestion and emissions, and to improve road safety. This is achieved by sourcing and analyzing data from a range of sources, including roadside cameras and sensors, to enable a 360º view of traffic conditions, including accidents and violations. The resulting insights can be used by traffic authorities and city planners to optimize the design of road networks, and to prioritize investments in road infrastructure. Additionally, traffic police can use real-time traffic and incident data to enhance dispatch of emergency teams, or to guide traffic at key intersections to optimize traffic flow.

2) High-quality color imaging for traffic management and violations, 24 hours a day

Improving traffic conditions and road safety requires effective monitoring around the clock, with the ability to identify and react to traffic violations reliably. To achieve this, agencies need reliable video solutions, such as Hikvision traffic cameras with its top-notch imaging technology, which can capture crystal clear, colored video images, even in extremely low-light conditions, or at night. Importantly, agencies' chosen enforcement cameras must be able capture high-quality images without emitting white light, which creates environmental issues and distracts drivers.

3) Smart algorithms enable 'pole mounted' ITS devices – without compromising accuracy

In an ideal world, agencies and authorities would be able to mount roadside ITS equipment on gantries, but these are a rare sight in cities. This means it's often more practical to take advantage of street light poles or the other available poles beside urban roadways to install ITS devices. Obviously, this places higher demand on devices with onboard algorithms that can recognize vehicle types and read number places (where necessary) with less strict device installation requirements than gantry mounted devices.

4) 'All in one' devices combat speeding more efficiently

Speeding is a major traffic issue in cities worldwide. But detecting vehicles breaking the speed limit usually requires a coordinated effort between different devices: typically, a traffic camera, a radar, and a supplemental light. The latest trend is to increase simplicity, reduce costs, and reduce pressure on roadside mount locations, by integrating these three capabilities into a single device. Hikvision has been exploring this area for years, and we have developed all-in-one equipment for traffic violation detection use that maximizes efficiency – both in terms of space, cost, and support.

Find out more

To find out more about Hikvision traffic solutions, and how they can help improving road safety and smoothening traffic flow, please contact us today. You can also visit our Intelligent Traffic System Solution.