Traffic congestion at intersections is a persistent problem for growing urban areas. When a traffic signal remains on a fixed cycle, traffic can quickly back up from lanes with more demand at peak times, creating havoc, increased commute times, loss of productivity and excess fuel consumption.

Millions of “smart” intersections across the U.S. are automated to detect the presence of vehicles and provide traffic signal control systems with information that determines signal sequencing. The majority of these systems use outdated technology and have limited capabilities. These systems typically use cameras or ground loop sensors to detect the presence of a vehicle and provide an analog (closed contact) signal to the signal controller to change the traffic light sequence accordingly. While they are mostly reliable, they are costly, offer minimal capabilities and are not flexible platforms for expansion.