Traffic Signal Information & Priority

Introduction

Traffic signals in the Nordic counties have been characterised by swift adaptions to fluctuations in traffic as well as efficient schemes for bus priority. In pursuing efficient local solutions, we have also partially forfeited common standardised solutions. Moving into a time of extended support by advanced driver assistance systems and autonomous vehicles, we seek to combine our flexible traffic signals with predictable traffic signal information and standardised priority.

Background

Providing predictable traffic signal information and standardised priority will allow vehicles to automatically adjust their behaviour without human interaction and is an important step towards the realisation of autonomous vehicles and a support to advanced driver assistance systems.

Objective

The flagship pilot will focus on implementation in an urban context. The main objective is to address and set-up ecosystems to achieve deployment of predictable traffic signal information and standardised priority.

Cities are interested in SPAT/MAP as a start-up for C-ITS applications. Both technical aspects as well as how to finance and organise the commitment create uncertainty and the flagship pilot will address these. Using existing and newly established areas with traffic light controllers sharing SPATEM/MAPEM messages in three countries, we aim to evaluate the possible ecosystems.

Many cities are in the process of deploying or have already deployed schemes for priority of e.g. public transport. By identifying common protocols for distribution of messages both from real time systems for public transport towards traffic signal systems as well as for distribution between the traffic signal system and controllers in intersections, we will develop common architecture and protocols to make a unified Nordic priority concept to be utilised for new installations: We will also demonstrate the system for requests for priority from vehicle to road operator in the pilot.

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