Traffic lights changing after 50 years
Australia is set to trial AI-powered traffic lights in Queensland that use camera sensors to detect road users and adjust signals in real-time. This system aims to replace outdated timer-based technology to improve traffic flow and pedestrian safety.
Why it matters
Implementing AI in urban infrastructure could significantly reduce congestion and energy waste, serving as a model for future smart city developments.
Australia will begin testing Artificial Intelligence intersections with traffic lights that can see you coming and change to green. The AI traffic light test will be the first of its kind and will be trialled on a small insertion in Queensland's Moreton Bay. The system by Austrian traffic technology company SWARCO is currently in use in Denmark, and while the first Australian test is small, a larger version will start testing in Brisbane later this year. The intersection chosen for the AI traffic light test will be the junction of Paper Avenue and Moreton Parade in the suburb of Petrie in Moreton Bay. While not a tiny intersection the junction isn't on main transport routes and will allow a fairly safe environment to see how the technology handles regular, but light traffic. The first testing in Moreton bay will start in September, 2026.
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