Dutch build nationwide smart mobility system

From next year, 1,250 traffic light installations in the Netherlands will be turned into a smart mobility system that will provide continuous guidance and support to motorists. 

The project, code-named Talking Traffic, is a partnership between the Dutch government's Department for Infrastructure and Environment, provincial and local authorities, the mobility industry and various ICT companies.

Talking Traffic will use Big Data to combat congestion and coordinate the flow of traffic, notably for heavy-goods transport and night-time traffic. The initial phase of the project is budgeted at €90-million and targets the busiest traffic hotspots. The other 4,250 traffic lights will be upgraded in a later phase. 

The strategic aim of the project is to give the Netherlands an edge over other European countries in the development of smart traffic management. The Dutch government also sees it as a preparatory stage for the introduction of autonomous driving. 

But that is a few years down the line; a more immediate solution is needed for the problem of congestion – due to the recent economic recovery, traffic jams in the Netherlands have increased by 45% in 2015 en 2016.

The project's quick wins, expected to go online mid- 2017, include speed advice and road danger warnings tailored to individual drivers, and traffic lights that 'talk' to navigation systems in cars. 

A data services hub provided by KPN will enable the necessary exchange of information between the various partners. The system is expected to have two million users by 2020 and generate considerable gains in driving time and comfort, safety and fuel usage. 

Image: public domain