A study from Juniper Research has predicted that global savings in CO2 emissions from smart traffic management systems will be 205 million metric tons (MMT) by 2027, comparted to 145.7 tons in 2022. The saving will be equal to almost twice the CO2 emissions arising from UK domestic transport in 2019.
► Reductions will be driven by congestion reduction
► Smart intersection investment to grow by 78%
► Cybersecurity fundamental for public trust
Reducing congestion through optimised 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 minimise emissions.
The research identified environmental benefits from smart traffic management systems as being highly compelling, including significant reductions in congestion, and prioritising greener transport modes. The report identified smart intersections 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.
The report forecasts that investment into smart intersections will reach $10.2 billion by 2027 – up 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. Vendors will need to leverage 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.
The research also note that cybersecurity must be considered during the implementation of smart traffic systems to maximise public support and concerns about data collection and storage addressed. Smart traffic management systems must be prioritised for cybersecurity implementation, as user data 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 on the integrity of the road infrastructure.
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