Real-Time Smart Traffic Control and Simulation: An Approach for Urban Congestion Management
Naman Jain, Rachit Parwanda, Anamika Chauhan
Abstract
Smart cities use technology and data to improve quality of life for their citizens, and traffic congestion management is one aspect of this. Traffic congestion not only leads to longer travel times, but also contributes to increased air pollution levels. By collecting and analysing data on traffic patterns, a smart city can make informed decisions on how to alleviate congestion and improve traffic flow. The ultimate goal is to create a more efficient, sustainable, and convenient transportation system. Conventional traffic control systems do not adapt to real time traffic situation such as variable traffic flow, presence of emergency vehicles which leads to traffic jams and congestion. This paper presents a review of recent research works in this area, and proposes a novel, lightweight simulator for visualising real-time traffic. An optimisation mechanism based on real-time congestion data gathered from the simulator is also proposed. As observed from the comparative results, the proposed algorithm outperforms the conventional system. An additional feature is also included for prioritising emergency vehicles.