Skip to main content

Abu Dhabi traffic lights get smart

In a bid to reduce congestion during peak hours, Abu Dhabi transport authorities have completed the installation of smart systems to control traffic lights at key intersections depending on the number of cars on each side. Officials said the system has been installed at 56 junctions in Abu Dhabi city and outskirts and described it as one of the world’s most advanced traffic management systems involving smart applications and ground sensors. The new system uses in-road sensors to detect the number of v
November 14, 2014 Read time: 2 mins
In a bid to reduce congestion during peak hours, Abu Dhabi transport authorities have completed the installation of smart systems to control traffic lights at key intersections depending on the number of cars on each side.

Officials said the system has been installed at 56 junctions in Abu Dhabi city and outskirts and described it as one of the world’s most advanced traffic management systems involving smart applications and ground sensors.

The new system uses in-road sensors to detect the number of vehicles at the intersection and automatically switches between lights depending on the number of cars on the sides of the intersection.

Transport department roads director Faisal Al Suweidi said “This is a very advanced traffic management system and will largely ease traffic congestion in the city…it will also reduce petrol consumption and consequently cut pollution levels in the air.”

Related Content

  • Iteris awarded Middle East contract
    February 3, 2012
    Iteris has been selected to help develop uniform and standardised engineering and planning manuals, guidelines, and procedures tailored to the particular needs of the Abu Dhabi Department of Transport, based on best practices from around the world.
  • New technology revolution in urban traffic control?
    January 26, 2012
    Urban traffic control is a well-defined and practised art. Nevertheless, there are technologies here and on the horizon with the potential to revolutionise how we do things. By Gavin Jackman and Andrew Kirkham, TRL, and Jason Barnes. Distributed monitoring and control of urban traffic networks and flows is nothing new. PC-based Urban Traffic Control (UTC) is now well established and operating in many locations around the world. However, it is worth considering the effects of the huge growth in the use of sm
  • The twisting path to enforcement’s future
    June 5, 2014
    Survey reveals some division of views about enforcement’s future as Colin Sowman discovers. Technological advances and legislative changes pose many questions for those involved in road enforcement, ranging from the changing demands of privacy and data protection legislation to the practicalities on multi-speed enforcement. So to get the industry’s views ITS International took soundings on some of these bigger questions. In a world where many vehicles are fitted with GPS linked ‘black box’ telematics system
  • Solar-powered traffic detection improves communication
    January 31, 2012
    Pete Goldin reports on a new wireless, solar-powered traffic detection system being used by Caltrans District 12. As more and more traffic data is necessary to satisfy the needs of traffic management centres and traveller information systems, and as traffic detection technology becomes more ubiquitous, transportation authorities are pressured to find more economical ways of expanding their detection systems. Caltrans District 12 is leading this push by deploying the latest detection system from Case Global