Automatically turning green traffic lights for emergency vehicles

2 minutes read

Ambulances move differently than other vehicles. That is something that everyone already knows. When they need it, it is essential that they get to where they need to be as quickly as possible. Also, if it is an ambulance, you will need to get to the hospital so that the patients on board receive the necessary care. But for this they need a fast lane, in which they can travel quickly and without delay.

This hardly exists in many parts of the world, so the technology you have to help create these fast and clean routes on as many routes as possible.

For it, Ford created a smart traffic light system that works in conjunction with connected emergency vehicles and facilitates travel when necessary.

“Whether it’s a fire engine responding to a fire or an ambulance heading to an accident, the last thing you want is for these drivers to be caught between other vehicles waiting for the light to change,” he said. Martin SommerFord of Europe automated driving research engineer in the company’s official statement.

Intelligent traffic lights for fire vehicles, ambulances and more

These smart traffic lights will prevent emergency vehicles from having to stop at traffic lights, waiting for it to turn green and allow the rest of the vehicles to pass without obstacles. In addition, also You will avoid possible accidents if an ambulance has to go through a red light.

The test was carried out in Germany, on a section of road with eight traffic lights in the city of Aix-la-Chapelle. Two zones of three traffic lights, each already in use, are located on the outskirts of the city. A was used Ford Kuga Plug-in Hybridperforming the test as if it were an emergency vehicle.

The car mentioned above was equipped with equipment for communication with the infrastructure, they also had this type of equipment. When approaching a traffic light, the vehicle transmits the signal received by the infrastructure and acts accordingly, giving free passage to all vehicles on the road, putting the rest of the traffic lights on the red line.

In this way, it not only allows the passage of emergency vehicles, but also prevents traffic jams and traffic from occurring along the way.

After passing the traffic light, it returns to normal operation, regulating traffic. For its part, the car will receive information about the status of the traffic lights, in addition to the Adaptive Cruise Control It helps the car to adjust the speed necessary to travel along the stretch of road regulated by the traffic lights.

Vehicle-infrastructure communication is guaranteed by the CV2X (Cellular Vehicle to Everything) technology. This is used to connect the vehicles to the infrastructure, but also to other vehicles and road users.

Ford engineers tested the system as part of the project Corridor for New Mobility AachenDüsseldorf (ACCorD), funded by the German Federal Ministry for Transport and Digital Affairs and supported by RWTH Aachen University, Vodafone, Straßen.NRW (North Rhine-Westphalia road authority) and the city of Aachen.

“Exchanging data between cars, emergency vehicles and traffic lights in real time using the latest mobile phone technology makes road traffic safer and more efficient,” he said. Michael Reinartz, director of consumer services and innovation at Vodafone Germany. “Intelligent traffic light control helps save lives when every second counts, and also reduces unnecessary waiting times and CO2 emissions,” he concluded.

The project has been developing since January 2020 to March of this year.