Maryland has been given the green light to move forward with the use of artificial intelligence technology to help manage traffic.
The company NoTraffic has developed technology that merges cameras and radar to monitor traffic conditions at intersections. It’s currently being used in 30 states, including California and Florida.
A series of sensors have been placed at intersections around Maryland that will use cameras and radar to visualize and anticipate traffic flows — cameras to see the intersection and radar to track speeds and movements.
“If you take the two of those and marry them together, you get a very high precision situational awareness. But also it works in all weather conditions,” said Tom Cooper, vice president of NoTraffic.
Merging the cameras and radar gives traffic officials the ability to see what’s going on at any particular intersection and the ability to track speeds and movements.
The claim is this technology will not only help the Maryland Department of Transportation understand where traffic backups routinely occur, but also help reduce carbon emissions and improve safety for both motorists and pedestrians. Depending on how traffic is moving, the sensors can also interact with the signal infrastructure to adjust timing of the lights.
“Nearly 41,000 Americans were killed in traffic crashes last year,” Cooper said. “Most of those incidents at intersections occur when someone runs a red light. The opportunity to improve safety conditions is the most exciting component of what we are able to provide.”
Assessments on where to rollout the technology will begin right away with gradual implementation expected in 2025.
“It can make the roadways safer for everyone, and that’s really what is the most important part about this,” he said.
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