Skip to main content

Smart city traffic systems ‘to reduce congestion by 2019’

A new report from Juniper Research forecasts that smart city traffic management and parking projects will reduce cumulative global emissions in the order of 164 million metric tonnes of CO2 between 2014 and 2019 - equivalent to the annual emissions produced by 35 million vehicles. Not only will this benefit the environment, but it will also significantly impact the quality of city dwellers' lives, with some 700 million automobiles projected to be on city roads by 2019. The report, Smart Cities: Strategie
January 14, 2015 Read time: 2 mins
A new report from 7194 Juniper Research forecasts that smart city traffic management and parking projects will reduce cumulative global emissions in the order of 164 million metric tonnes of CO2 between 2014 and 2019 - equivalent to the annual emissions produced by 35 million vehicles. Not only will this benefit the environment, but it will also significantly impact the quality of city dwellers' lives, with some 700 million automobiles projected to be on city roads by 2019.

The report, Smart Cities: Strategies, Energy, Emissions & Cost Savings 2014-2019, found that high levels of city traffic congestion combined with advances in Internet of Things sensors and software solutions has driven plans to reduce high traffic levels through smart initiatives.

The report argues that the establishment of a sensor-networked and monitored city communications infrastructure, efficiently phasing traffic lights, and providing real-time guidance to drivers, can aid significantly in reducing congestion. Furthermore, digitally monitored parking spaces able to dynamically alter prices according to available spaces help control time spent cruising for parking.

Additionally, the report found that while purpose-built smart cities, such as Masdar in Abu Dhabi and Songdo in South Korea, can be considered a technological success, the benefits have not yet been fully realised owing to lack of citizen participation.

"Cooperation between all parties, as we have seen in Amsterdam for example, is essential" added report author Steffen Sorrell. "Furthermore, cities need standards and open data to avoid information roadblocks."

Other key findings include the fact that smart grids will dramatically reduce energy consumption in cities through rapid smart meter deployment and intelligent distribution automation. In addition, smart street lighting is also expected to produce significant cost savings, aided by the fall in LED fixture costs. Smart networked control systems will further add value.

Related Content

  • Sustainable mobility: innovative solutions needed to reduce traffic emissions
    May 1, 2021
    Kapsch TrafficCom’s Mobility Report 2021 reveals how new ITS measures such as vehicle connectivity and AI-based data processing can help create joined-up traffic management
  • The Asia-Pacific poses a multitude of ITS challenges
    May 30, 2014
    The Asia-Pacific ITS Forum and Exhibition in Auckland, New Zealand, provided a focus for the region’s ITS Associations. Mary Bell reports. In late April, ITS New Zealand hosted the 13th Asia-Pacific ITS Forum and Exhibition in Auckland. Around 350 delegates from 24 nations gathered to share and advance ITS applications on both strategic and technical levels and to discuss the differing and various challenges faced in the region.
  • Wireless traffic management reduces costs and commute times
    January 30, 2012
    The County of Los Angeles is widely known for having among the worst traffic problems and the most road congestion in the US. To combat these problems, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Works decided to deploy a wireless communications system to connect over 1,000 of the most congested intersections so they could dynamically monitor and manage the congestion and reduce commute times.
  • Personal Rapid Transit, clear benefits for European cities
    July 26, 2012
    David Crawford watches the race to get the world's first PRT system up and running. To paraphrase the old joke about buses bunching, you seem to have to wait several decades for a Personal Rapid Transit (PRT) system, and then half a dozen come along together. Currently, in fact, there are well over that number of schemes for driverless electric passenger-carrying 'pod' networks at various stages of planning, design and implementation around the world. Locations range from a straight-off-the-drawing board ne