Traffic lights 'talk to' driverless vehicles in Sydney

In an intelligent transport trial led by the University of Sydney and Transport for NSW, self-driving robotic vehicles have communicated with traffic lights on the streets of Sydney.

As part of the Intelligent Transport Systems Summit in mid-August, the trial showcased vehicle-to-infrastructure technology designed to improve road safety by feeding data about pedestrians, cyclists, other motorists and traffic light signal changes to driverless vehicles.

Two self-driving vehicles drove in live traffic on the streets of Chippendale using wireless connectivity to interact with traffic lights equipped with Transport for NSW’s Sydney Coordinated Adaptive Traffic System (SCATS).

As the automated vehicles approached the traffic lights, the software under development — Cit-e — sent messages about the intersection’s layout, right of way, timing of signal changes and warnings of imminent hazards including vulnerable road users.

A receiver in the vehicle uses the information in conjunction with the vehicle’s position, direction and velocity to gauge whether it is likely to commit a red-light violation or endanger other road users.

The technology can also be used for manually operated vehicles.

Secretary of Transport for NSW Josh Murray said, “This is a joint project with the University of Sydney and iMove to futureproof our traffic network and prepare our roads for an automated driving future.

“These new trials help us understand the challenges and demonstrate the feasibility of introducing emerging technology so we’re able to channel it in our day-to-day running of the network.”

Designed by researchers in the Australian Centre for Robotics, based in Sydney’s Faculty of Engineering, the self-driving vehicles used in the live traffic trial underwent rigorous safety testing at Transport for NSW’s Future Mobility Testing and Research Centre in Cudal, the university said.

“It’s great to have something here in Sydney which we can test under Australian conditions,” said Dr Stewart Worrall, a senior researcher at the Australian Centre for Robotics.

“This technology isn’t just about autonomy, it’s also about developing advanced driver assistance systems that can help drivers make better, safer decisions on the road.”

The Cit-e software could be launched commercially as early as next year by SCATS. It can be retrofitted to standard vehicles and traffic infrastructure, which means it could be in use long before the arrival of driverless vehicles.

The trial was the result of a collaboration between Transport for NSW, iMOVE Cooperative Research Centre and the University of Sydney.

Image credit: iStock.com/wx-bradwang