As a rule, traffic lights are mindless. Most rely on decades-old timers, which are in turn based on outdated traffic-flow predictions. This leads to frustrated drivers, longer commutes, more traffic pollution, and more accidents at intersections.
A Tel Aviv/Palo Alto-based tech startup called NoTraffic is on a mission to make traffic lights smarter. Using AI, Cloud, and V2X (Vehicle to Everything) tech, the system senses, identifies, and analyzes all traffic (vehicles, bikes, and pedestrians) approaching an intersection and continuously adjusts light timing to optimize traffic flow.
Results from a trial in Maricopa County, Arizona, found that driver delay time at a NoTraffic-equipped intersection was reduced by 741.1 hours in one week, equivalent to 16,759 hours or 23 months of reduced driver time per year.
If Maricopa County were to equip 4,000 intersections in the area, NoTraffic could save over half a million tons of CO2 emissions and generate $1 billion of economic benefit per year by keeping traffic moving.
How does it work?
The system, which can be installed at an intersection in under two hours, consists of four AI sensors equipped with computer vision, radar, and V2X chips. Together, these sensors send real-time data to an optimization engine mounted on the traffic light. This engine replaces traditional timed traffic light controllers with a smart “brain” that reacts to real traffic conditions unique to each intersection.
The platform tracks factors including the number of cars in each lane, how many cars are expected to join from the previous connected intersection, and what path each car is likely to take.
NoTraffic also comes with safety benefits. The system can recognize and prioritize emergency vehicles passing through the intersection, and its sensors can predict the probability of a vehicle running a red light. In this case, the system will react by extending the red light on the cross-road and alerting connected vehicles to the danger via the V2X chip.
Recently, NoTraffic raised $17.5 million in Series A funding to support its expansion into dozens of U.S. cities in late 2021, along with a push into Asian and European markets.
