Smoothing intersection flow in the Netherlands

Flir's ThermiCam thermal sensors have been installed at a major signalised intersection with the Utrechtseweg (N237) and Wilhelminalaan in Utrecht in the Netherlands In a bid to smooth traffic flows while also taking account of the presence of cyclists. ThermiCam is an integrated thermal camera and detector for vehicle and cycle presence detection and counting at signalised intersections and provides an alternative to in-road loops. The sensor detects heat energy generated by cyclists and motorists and
December 9, 2014 Read time: 2 mins
6778 Flir's ThermiCam thermal sensors have been installed at a major signalised intersection with the Utrechtseweg (N237) and Wilhelminalaan in Utrecht in the Netherlands In a bid to smooth traffic flows while also taking account of the presence of cyclists.  

ThermiCam is an integrated thermal camera and detector for vehicle and cycle presence detection and counting at signalised intersections and provides an alternative to in-road loops. The sensor detects heat energy generated by cyclists and motorists and uses this to make a distinction between the two and transmits the information over contact closures or IP to the traffic signal controller to allow green times to be dynamically controlled based on the type of road user.

ThermiCam detects cyclists and vehicles in all light conditions, regardless of whether traffic is moving or stationary.  The sensor can also be used to count cyclists, even when they are riding in group.

“For this specific project, we needed a solution that was able to efficiently detect bicyclists and neglect motorists at the same time,” says Guus Sluijsmans, traffic engineer and account manager sales at 6999 Imtech Traffic & Infra, which installed the sensors. “The ThermiCam sensor from Flir Systems is the only solution I know that can efficiently make a distinction between bicyclists and motorists on the same traffic lane.”
Detection, Monitoring & Machine Vision Classification & Data Collection Urban Traffic Control

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Success of London's Olympic public transport systems
    December 4, 2012
    The Olympic flame has moved on, allowing review of the relative degrees of London’s 2012 transportation success, how it was done and with what lasting effects. Jon Masters reports. This magazine’s international position provides a good vantage point for assessing impressions left by London’s 2012 Olympic Games. On the whole, it has been only praise and congratulations heard since the closing ceremonies of the Olympic Games in August and the Paralympics in September. The events looked great and ran smoothly
    Read More
  • Intersection collision avoidance system trial
    January 31, 2012
    Although much of the emphasis of research into intersection management has tended to concentrate on the needs of urban locations, there remain specific issues pertaining to rural intersections which need to be addressed. Here, Rebecca Szymkowski and Greg Helgeson, Wisconsin DOT, Todd Szymkowski, University of Wisconsin-Madison, and Craig Shankwitz and Arvind Menon, University of Minnesota detail progress on an intersection collision avoidance system for more remote locations.
    Read More
  • Growth of ANPR applications for enforcement, tolling and more
    February 1, 2012
    Automatic number plate recognition continues to find new applications beyond the traditional. In coming years, we can expect the application set to grow significantly Moore's Law has seen to it that computer processing power has improved out of all comparison in the 30-plus years since the first working Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) system was created by the UK's Police Scientific Development Branch. The attendant increases in systems' capabilities have resulted in ANPR being deployed globally
    Read More
  • Joining old and new in Canada’s Highway 407
    June 17, 2016
    David Arminas visits Canada’s Highway 407 ETR to see how the concession is working and hear about new arrangements for the roadway’s extension. The Toronto region is North America’s eighth largest metropolitan area and its roads become notoriously congested. In 1997 Highway 407, a 68km concrete toll motorway which skirts the northern edge of Toronto, was opened and initially operated by the province and CHIC - a consortium of four leading Ontario-based companies. Finance came from the Ontario Financing Auth
    Read More

Highlighted Content