A new, flexible traffic-computer system from Siemens is making it easier for communities to control traffic and avoid congestion. The system, Sitraffic Scala, is making it possible for the first time to improve traffic manage-ment in small towns. Until now, traffic guidance systems were either not designed for small road networks or were too expensive, but this new traffic computer system is modular and can be individually configured to fit any road network. It monitors all traffic signals in a given road network and can provide traffic guidance at any time. It detects traffic jams with intelligent sensors and can help to break them up by activating traffic lights in a targeted manner.

Today’s traffic computer systems detect vehicles with induction loops beneath the road. They transmit signals once a minute, which is often too imprecise to efficiently control traffic. What’s more, these systems are also unable to adequately differentiate between disruption of traffic lights and other traffic control signals when reporting back to the central computer.

Now the experts at Siemens Industrial Solutions and Services are making traffic control more effective. The key to this new advance is a detection device called the Traffic Eye Universal, a solar-powered device that is suspended over a roadway and automatically detects the traffic situation via infrared sensors. Using a GPRS data transfer system, it immediately sends traffic reports to the central computer, which means the control system is able to react faster. If the Traffic Eye detects that traffic is becoming congested, the central computer immediately adjusts the relevant traffic lights’ switching times to the traffic situation and temporarily gives the green light to backed-up traffic.

With Sitraffic Scala, system disruptions also can be corrected more quickly. The system can even detect the nature of a disruption, whether a defective bulb or a burned-out fuse, and can inform a technician by text message or by fax. This reduces outage times to a minimum. Even public transit users can get around faster, because buses and trains will be equipped with transmitters to send signals to traffic light systems. When activating the traffic lights, the traffic computer then gives priority to public transportation.