Application of IoT in traffic management and transportation

IoT is playing a game-changing role in traffic management and transportation.

With it’s remarkable ability to transform the way the transportation sector and generally, traffic is managed, IoT has become a mainstay and controlling ‘driving force’, and, is progressively expanding it’s role.

IoT is reinventing management systems.

The Internet of Things has proved to be an enormous success in the past decade, enriching and supplanting aspects of traditionally managed and automated systems. IoT is now on a sustained, organic growth path, sweeping into it’s reach a host of applications, infrastructure, and systems, providing an assurance to make their management more efficient, effective, and economical.

Even more significantly, IoT is clearly and successfully creating offshoots in management spheres that were not possible with conventional, time-honoured methods and systems even with their decent dose of technology and automation.

Revolutionising transportation

Simplifying traffic management with a wholesome approach

In recent times, a critical aspect of everyday living – transportation and traffic management – has been in the spotlight globally, for it’s enormous gains as well as remarkable possibilities in self-driven and guided vehicles since it was embraced by IoT technology. Internet of Things is playing a crucial role by offering modern, intelligent solutions in transportation and traffic management, eliminating or minimising the elements of chaos and risk that are relatively a part of the traditional systems. Impressively, it does so by reducing manpower engagement and bringing in valuable overall cost-effectiveness.

IoT is continually transforming the transportation sector

IoT has been successfully reorganizing the way the transportation industry works, by plugging the functional holes prevailing in the logistics and transportation sector. It uses vast resources of data and connectivity in conjunction with a responsive network of sensors and intermediary and related devices to provide intelligent digital solutions on the ground.

The outcome of solutions based on real-time communications depends largely on ‘low latency‘. It is hugely relevant in transportation where vehicle-to-source and vehicle-to-vehicle communication is the key to facilitating effective traffic management. IoT, owing to it’s wide and capable resource network makes it possible to achieve this effectively in real-time.

IoT ensures seamless and efficient movement of traffic, while also adding value in terms of convenience and savings in time, energy, and man-hours. Deploying it’s comprehensive toolkit which includes vast data available in real-time, responsive hardware, and seamless connectivity to enhance the existing systems. It responds to different aspects of traffic management like vehicles telematics, traffic congestion systems surveillance, and security systems. By sweeping these crucial functional aspects into it’s ambit, the IoT platform creates a well-orchestrated ecosystem that functions seamlessly.

Some IoT effects at a glance

• Public transport uses it’s existing resources to accommodate IoT functions like preparing and displaying arrival times and status based on real-time data as well as vehicle tracking. This includes providing alerts on unexpected changes like re-routing and delays due to unforeseen occurrences such as blocks and weather changes.
• RFID is already helping manage toll and ticketing efficiently. IoT promises to further shorten queues and save time by sensing RFID and tracking vehicles a kilometre away to readily allow them passage without pausing.
• It can make traffic situations less chaotic and more manageable by decoding driver habits and behaviour on an ongoing basis.
• IoT provides a more responsive guidance and monitoring system by alerting drivers on accelerating, cornering and overspeeding.
• Using RFID and other automatic sensor systems, IoT is capable of identifying vehicles and ascertaining their destination, the speed at which they are travelling as well as observing driving etiquette.
• IoT networks can sense intensity of natural light, particularly in gloomy or very bright conditions.
• IoT can optimise parking solutions by resorting to installation of elaborate smart device systems which include cameras, sensors, and related devices.

Conclusion

The ability of IoT to favourably impact traffic conditions and comprehensive transportation management makes it an extreme and modern convenience that is becoming increasingly indispensable. With evolving hardware, software, and data storage, access and processing ability, and speed, it’s economic and societal benefits are steadily increasing and, it’s footprint widening.

The Internet of Things is constantly widening it’s scope and reach in an expanding digital landscape. It is successfully shrinking estimated timelines for adopting and applying technologies to digitise and streamline management systems and appears to be prepping to accommodate the oncoming tech landmarks — a wider 5G web and mainstream self-driven vehicles.

Kwik! tip

What is low latency?

Latency is the time lag or time taken for data packets to be transferred from source to device or device to device. The acceptable levels of latency are usually in terms of fractions of a second, in the modern context when critical applications are involved. It can be as low as 0.1 milliseconds in very critical applications. For the most part, in streaming videos, the acceptable latency hovers in the sub- 5 seconds range.

Low latency ensures execution of a task and achievement of results in the quickest time technologically possible. The significance of low latency and the accompanying ‘ quick response time’ is felt in use cases like,

• Remotely opening the entrance door to your home when a family member is waiting to enter.
• A dynamic application like a UAV or a drone on a mission depends on accurate and precise data inputs so it can carry out it’s objective with the desired or optimal results.
• An automobile waiting for an RFID system response at a toll post
• Surveillance personnel active on a highway, with rescue or enforcement objectives.