Skip to main content

Cisco’s low-cost fibre optic solution for traffic monitoring

Cisco’s display focuses on a novel way of detecting traffic speeds, congestion and incidents without the use of loops. The company is using a fibre optic cable positioned alongside the road and down which it shines a light. Vibration created by passing vehicles create vibration which disrupts the passage of the light. Cisco has developed algorithms that can translate these disruptions to determine what type of vehicle is passing, in which direction, the lane it is using and the speed it is travelling. The
March 21, 2018 Read time: 2 mins
Niels van den Berg

1028 Cisco’s display focuses on a novel way of detecting traffic speeds, congestion and incidents without the use of loops. The company is using a fibre optic cable positioned alongside the road and down which it shines a light.

Vibration created by passing vehicles create vibration which disrupts the passage of the light. Cisco has developed algorithms that can translate these disruptions to determine what type of vehicle is passing, in which direction, the lane it is using and the speed it is travelling.

The fibre optic cables run in lengths of up to 80km and are divided (virtually) into five to 15 metre sections for detection purposes and it is said to be far cheaper and less disruptive to install and maintain than its traditional counterpart.

According to the company’s Niels van den Berg, the Dutch authorities have proved the new system’s accuracy by comparing it with the current loop-based results.

Stand: 11.209

%$Linker: 2 External <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-16"?><dictionary /> 0 0 0 link-external www.cisco.com Cisco website link false https://www.cisco.com/ false false%>

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Uber’s self-driving cars resume trials in Pittsburgh in manual mode
    July 27, 2018
    Uber’s self-driving cars are being manually driven on public roads in Pittsburgh after a fatal crash which prompted the company to pull out of its testing programme in North America. The company is trialling new safeguards which it says will improve vehicle fleet safety and performance. According to a report by Medium, Eric Meyhofer, head of Uber Advanced Technologies, says: “While we are eager to resume testing of our self-driving system, we see manual driving as an important first step in piloting thes
  • Transpo measures up when it comes to MMA markings
    March 20, 2018
    “Tell us what you need in markings and we’ll deliver it.” That’s the message to potential European clients says Michael Stenko, chief executive of Transpo Industries, based near New York. Transpo manufactures to customer requirements surface and pavement markings for roads and airfields, as well as the Visi-Barrier, a precast polymer concrete barrier panel. A big issue for many local authorities and contractors is delivery of enough pavement marking for when they need it, where they need it and on time.
  • Geveko Markings shows ViaTherm Viking material
    March 19, 2018
    Geveko Markings is showing how it has addressed the situation in which road marking is not possible because surfaces are too moist or wet. With the company’s ViaTherm Viking, the application window for bulk thermoplastic is increased and the application season is prolonged. ViaTherm Viking is a thermoplastic road marking material specially developed for application during early spring and late autumn when there tends to be moisture on the roads. It has special adhesion properties, high functional
  • Flir webinar - TrafiOne: an introduction to Flir’s smart city sensor
    February 10, 2017
    Flir Systems’ next webinar on 16 February at 0700 CEST provides an introduction to its TrafiOne detection sensor for traffic monitoring and dynamic traffic signal control. TrafiOne uses thermal imaging to detect the presence of pedestrians and cyclists that are approaching and waiting at the kerbside or walking on the crossing. The 45-minute webinar will discuss the basics and benefits of Flir’s smart city sensor and we will demonstrate its rich set of features. More information and registration deta