Damn That Traffic Jam

Siemens is ready to clean up the roads with intelligent automation.

If you hate traffic, you might want to consider moving to Ann Arbor, MI, the testbed for new intelligent traffic technology from Siemens. The automation company recently announced that this city serves as the home of its first Center of Excellence for Intelligent Traffic Technology.

Ann Arbor is a city of 115,000 residents, 70,000 students and thousands of visitors that put considerable stress on the transportation system, Siemens officials said. As part of a 10-year technology partnership with Ann Arbor, Siemens will provide hardware and software that will enable insight into a city-wide system to help mitigate congestion.

The technologies include:

• Siemens TACTICS smartGuard cloud-based traffic management software.
• SEPAC local controller software to communicate with the central system and mobile devices.
• An upgrade to Split, Cycle and Offset Optimization Technique (SCOOT), an adaptive traffic control system that automatically adjusts signal timing to optimize traffic flow.

Siemens’ technology and updates to Ann Arbor’s existing traffic systems will help improve the commute, game day and travel experiences. These systems will also allow Ann Arbor to respond and adapt more quickly and intelligently, in real-time, to improve traffic flow and safety.

Here’s hoping they quickly replicate and roll this out across the country!