Adaptive traffic light control system

Abstract

Conventional traffic light control systems are based on fixed time intervals of the traffic lights. These conventional fixed traffic light controllers have limitations and are less efficient because they use a hardware, which functions according to the program that lacks the flexibility of modification and adaptation on a real time basis. Thus due to the fixed time intervals of green and red signals there is excess and unnecessary waiting time on roads and vehicles consume more fuel. This eventually adds up to the environmental pollution and creates several health issues among the people on road and residing nearby. Also these conventional traffic light control systems do not have any provisions to provide any information on traffic densities on various roads, which leads to traffic congestions. Thus, to make traffic light controlling and traffic regulation more efficient, we exploit the emergence of new technique called as Adaptive Traffic Light Control System (ATLCS). The proposed system makes the use of network of array of sensors for sensing the traffic. On categorising this sensed traffic the timing intervals of red and green lights at each crossing of roads are intelligently decided and varied so as to keep the waiting time minimum. Thus, optimization of the traffic light switching increases the road capacity, saves time for travelling and prevents traffic congestions. The system also aims at incorporating special provisions for making immediate way for the emergency vehicles. GSM cell phone interface provides traffic information to drivers on demand and also helps in efficiently regulating the traffic and alternate route taking decisions. Efficiently regulated traffic also reduces pollution. The performance of this proposed system is compared with the conventional fixed time traffic light control system. The various performance evaluation parameters are efficient operation of sensor assembly, time saved per cycle, signal switching frequency, efficient emergency mode operation and the satisfactory operation of SMS using GSM mobile. The effectiveness of this system is shown and discussed in this paper by means of simulation results and on-board display.