Tuesday, March 19, 2024

Smart traffic systems to save 205 million metric tons of CO2 emissions by 2027

Smart traffic management technology can be used effectively to address traffic issues, improve transport efficiency and reduce greenhouse gas.

A new study from Juniper Research has predicted that global savings in CO2 emissions from smart traffic management systems will be 205 MMT (Million Metric Tons) by 2027 – a growth of 41%, up from just 145.7 MMT in 2022. The analysts have claimed that this figure is equivalent to almost twice the CO2 emissions arising from UK domestic transport in 2019.

Reducing congestion through optimized traffic control will be the main influencing factor. Smart traffic management uses digital technologies to manage traffic based on real-time data to reduce congestion and minimize emissions.

The research identified environmental benefits from smart traffic management systems as being highly compelling, including significant reductions in congestion and emission associated with traffic, and prioritizing greener transport modes. The report also identified smart interactions as driving reductions, with hours of time spent in traffic set to decrease by 36 hours on average per annum per motorist globally by 2027.

Smart Traffic Management: Driving Change in Urban Mobility infographic.
Smart Traffic Management: Driving Change in Urban Mobility infographic. Credit: Juniper Research

The report forecasts that investment in smart intersections will reach $10.2 billion by 2027, rising from $5.7 billion in 2022. It anticipates that smart intersection vendors will focus on improving connectivity between road vehicles and the local road network ecosystem, mirroring government smart city initiatives. Juniper Research recommended that providers of such technology take advantage of the low-latency capabilities of 5G, combined with machine learning algorithms, to enable network adjustments to be made in real-time and improve traffic flow.

In addition, the research – Smart Traffic Management: Use Cases, Regional Analysis & Marketing Forecasts 2022-2027 – argues cybersecurity must be considered during the implementation of smart traffic systems to maximize public support, negating concerns about data collection and storage. The authors say smart management systems must be prioritized for cybersecurity implementation, to protect user data, which is transmitted at every stage of the process. Given the potential for cyberattacks to disrupt infrastructure through denial of service, robust cybersecurity strategies are essential to prevent threats to the integrity of the road infrastructure.