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

  • Impact of new European Directive on toll concessions: ASECAP conference
    February 5, 2015
    ASECAP, the European association of operators of toll road infrastructures is organising a high level conference to analyse the impact of the new European Directive on the award of concession contracts across Europe, focusing specifically on the transport sector. The conference, whose theme is Concession model, an efficient tool to foster growth across Europe: how to build a level-playing field to attract private investors, will be held on 30 March 2015 from 1030 to 1630 at the European Economic and Soc
  • On-vehicle air bag recognises and protects cyclists, pedestrians
    February 26, 2014
    Save CAP airbag is a proof of concept of a windscreen airbag and automatic braking system, designed to protect cyclists and pedestrians in a collision with a vehicle.
  • GenKey buys Ghana’s digital health records specialist ClaimSync
    October 29, 2013
    Biometric ID management solution specialist GenKey has bought Ghanaian software provider ClaimSync. The move gives the Dutch firm a stronger foothold in Africa’s burgeoning digital health market, with ClaimSync offering hospitals and insurers a next generation platform for digitising and processing medical records and claims. “We will be able to combine GenKey’s biometric ID management and unique biometric claim validation solution with ClaimSync’s electronic medical claim handling system”, says Mich
  • Innovative parking control system from Propark
    March 24, 2014
    Polish company Propark has developed a novel parking program. This is said to make management of parking areas easier and more efficient and the company claims the system lowers running costs and maintenance needs, while also boosting cost effectiveness. The system best suits duties in small to medium-sized parking lots and its simplicity is said to ensure that it requires minimal training to use. Its speed and efficiency is said to reduce queues by speeding up transactions. Effective control is offered of