Reducing Traffic Congestion and Providing Citizen-Centric Services
The city of Incheon announced on the 2nd that the second phase of the Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) project, aimed at providing drivers with perceptible traffic services, has been completed and services will be fully implemented starting this month.
The ITS Phase 2 project includes:
– AI-based analysis and adjustment of traffic signal times
– Expansion of smart intersections in the northwestern region of Incheon
– Real-time traffic signal countdowns for drivers available via navigation systems
– Integration of information with the police’s vehicle tracking system
– Pilot implementation of a real-time digital twin of traffic.
The city has piloted an AI-based automatic traffic signal time (Time of Day, TOD) analysis system in the Seo-gu area. Since mid-October, new TODs applied at major intersections along Wondang-ro resulted in improvements such as a 47.6% reduction in average travel time, a 91.4% increase in average speed, and a 60.6% reduction in average delay. The area, formerly plagued by rush-hour congestion complaints, saw a significant decrease in such complaints, proving the system’s effectiveness.
Additionally, the construction of smart intersections in the northwestern region of Incheon has been expanded, now collecting a range of traffic data from 16 intersections. Data gathered includes the number of vehicles, vehicle types passing through, speed at designated points, and vehicle numbers. This data is utilized for various purposes, including real-time digital twin implementation and AI-based TOD generation.
The city collaborates with the Road Traffic Authority and private navigation companies to provide real-time traffic signal information, crucial for autonomous vehicle implementation. Drivers can access real-time signal countdowns and pedestrian signals via navigation as they approach intersections. To prevent premature departures, the countdown is not displayed when time remaining is under five seconds.
Information linkage with the police’s vehicle tracking system is another critical aspect. Incheon collects real-time vehicle number data from 203 intersections and integrates it with the police’s wanted vehicle search system (WASS). This data is used solely for investigative purposes and is provided only upon request for wanted vehicles.
A pilot 3D-based real-time digital twin has been constructed, gathering and providing various data such as live traffic volume, congestion levels, and pedestrian numbers, further enhancing realism by integrating with real-time traffic signal information.
Kim In-soo, the city’s Director of Transportation, stated, “We aim to provide more convenient and seamless traffic services by adopting the world’s best ITS technology and digital innovation technologies.”