Purpose and Benefits of Intelligent Transportation Systems

With the help of intelligent transportation systems, it becomes easy to improve safety and mobility in transportation. The integration of advanced technologies into vehicles and transportation infrastructure also helps in boosting productivity. A broad range of wireless and traditional communication-based information and electronic technologies are encompassed into intelligent transportation systems.

In these systems, the latest technologies are used for observing and recording the flow and speed of traffic along with different weather conditions. The monitored conditions are recorded and used for future development in order to improvise traffic efficiency.

Both hard wired and wireless devices are used under the traffic detection system. Through the wireless system, vehicles on the road are counted by a battery powered magnetometer vehicle detection system (VDS). Through these sensors, vehicles are detected by measuring a change in the magnetic field of the earth. Vehicles can be counted per lane and if more than one sensor is installed, the speed and classification of vehicles becomes easy to record. The collected information gets transmitted to an antenna located nearby through a wireless radio communication method. It becomes easy to send the data to a centralized location from the antenna through methods like Ethernet, fiber networks, cellular data connections and serial links.

Some of the other common methods of traffic detection system include, MVDS (Microwave Vehicle Detection Systems) and cameras. MVDS is basically a detection system installed above ground. It is installed along the side of a road and it utilizes a low power microwave radar beam technology for observing and transmitting statistics such as, classification of vehicles, vehicle presence, volume and speed. With the help of these systems, it has become easy to record statistics in numerous lanes.

In many countries, closed circuit cameras are being installed for helping monitor the flow of traffic. The use of surveillance systems along heavily travelled roads and freeways has increased in number. The CCTV cameras are also helpful in ensuring commuter safety and traffic detection. Here are three key benefits of installing an intelligent transportation system:

1. Safety- Since road crashes cause loss of life and suffering, it has become necessary to monitor traffic and ensure safety. Most collisions on road occur due to the stop-start nature of traffic present in areas that are congested. With the help of ITS, traffic flow can be made smooth and safe for commuters. It helps reduce congestion and hence brings down the chances of accidents.
2. ITS helps in improving productivity because congestion can reduce productivity, causing flow-on delays in supply chains. This delay can increases the cost of business. But with the help of an ITS, it becomes easy to boost the capacity of the current infrastructure.

3. Since start-stop driving is reduced, fuel consumption and emission of greenhouse gas also goes down. Be it through intelligent transportation systems or metro CCTV, surveillance and security has become very important. By choosing the best system, safety and security can be easily managed; therefore, it is important to spend money on high quality systems.