For two years, the Flanders experiences what is similar to a small revolution For car traffic: smart traffic lights. Concretely, 230 crossroads were equipped with connected sensors capable to interact with certain navigation applications. When a vehicle, a bicycle or a motorcycle approaches it with an active compatible app, a signal is sent to the fire which can then go green more quickly, provided, however, that traffic allows it.
This technology is supposed Fluidify travel and limit unnecessary stops (therefore saving fuel) and it makes Belgium it second European country to implement it on a large scale after the Netherlands. The idea: to adapt the management of fire in real time to the real presence of users, especially in widen times like the night when some motorists must wait unnecessarily against a red light on certain axes.
200,000 conquered users
So far, around 200,000 users in Flanders have turned to compatible applications such as Karta GPS, Flitsmeister or Sway. The first results are encouraging: tests show more fluid crossing at the crossroadsincluding for cyclists. That said, given the advantages in terms of comfort and fluidity, membership is still limited. And it is explained by the fact that the big names in the navigation applications sector as Waze et Google Maps Don’t play the game yet.
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As these platforms dominate the navigation market, their absence slows down the adoption of this system to large scale. The Flemish road agency says it is in discussion with tech giants, because the idea is to integrate this service into existing applications and in particular in the most used. So far, no agreement has yet been reached. Which surprises, because it is also in the interest of Google. Yes, but here we are, we know that the giant likes to master things. Maybe the firm has another idea behind the head …
And integration into vehicles?
But navigation applications are not an end in itself. Because the authorities have another idea in mind: direct integration of the system in the embedded vehicle systems. As such, talks would be underway with card publishers such as TomTom which provide cards for interfaces as well as with several car manufacturers. The advantage is obvious: by being integrated, the system would be operational 100% and any time and in all places.
Some Specialized uses Already benefit from this integration: in Ghent, the ambulances and fire trucks use intelligent fires to “naturally” obtain priority, which reduces risks during emergencies and also accelerates intervention times.
And in Wallonia?
If Flanders is already well equipped, Wallonia is not to be outdone. In 2022, the Walloon government launched an ambitious plan for Modernize its 700 crossroads regulated by tricolor lights. From here 2026more than 600 of them will become “intelligent”, with priorities given to public transport, but also a better Dynamic traffic management.
This evolution shows how much there is still a lot to do a lot to make life easier for motorists and streamline traffic. Which is probably the most important point, because, each year, the traffic jams are always longer … Let us simply hope also that the web giants can accept to work in partnership Rather than in a jurisdiction.
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