Self-Organization in Traffic Lights: Evolution of Signal Control with Advances in Sensors and Communications

Understand

Traffic signals are ubiquitous devices that first appeared in 1868.

• Recent advances in information and communications technology (ICT) have led to unprecedented improvements in such areas as mobile handheld devices (i.e., smartphones), the electric power industry (i.e., smart grids), transportation infrastructure, and vehicle area networks.
• Given the trend towards interconnectivity, it is only a matter of time before vehicles communicate with one another and with infrastructure.
• In fact, several pilots of such vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-infrastructure (e.g.