By Dhanusha Gokulan/Staff Reporter www.khaleejtimes.com
Dubai – You are waiting at a traffic signal at a busy junction in Dubai. You see that the adjacent signal has free-flowing traffic, while when it’s your turn to move, the signal only seems to allow four cars to pass. Sounds familiar?
This is probably one of the most frustrating moments in every driver’s day, but fortunately the so-called ‘partial traffic signals’ are a myth.
As officials from the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) explained how the new smart traffic signals work, they busted some traffic myths like these.
Smart traffic lights are a new system that combines existing technology with artificial intelligence to create lights that “think for themselves”.
In February this year, the RTA announced that the emirate’s traffic signal controllers were connected to the Central Urban Traffic Control (UTC-SCOOT) system.
The agency has also completed the project of shifting the control of traffic signals from the existing hired telephone lines to 3G technology and enabling remote control of signals via the RTA’s Traffic Control Centre.
Maitha bin Udai, CEO of the RTA Traffic and Roads Agency, told Khaleej Times: “Dubai is one of the fastest growing cities worldwide and the RTA is tasked to keep it moving. We adopt new policies and practices; and implement newer and better technologies to keep traffic circulating in Dubai.” More info
