What mobility will look like in the future will be decided first and foremost in our cities. It is here that streams of commuters mingle with a multitude of people out and about for shopping and leisure activities. Simultaneously, service and manufacturing companies have to transport their goods through the limited urban space. To meet all these needs, it is essential that the roads are used efficiently.
A wide variety of systems are used to control traffic flows, each of which is tailored to a specific means of transport. To integrate the different systems, LTS Light Technic Solution successfully launched an innovative Traffic and Parking Management System (TAPS). Controlling traffic lights according to traffic volume and managing parking spaces with real-time data are just two of the things this dynamic traffic management system can do.
The key components of TAPS are various types of sensors. One of these measures 15 cm across and has a built-in solar cell, meaning it doesn’t need a power supply. Anchored to the asphalt within a drilled hole, the sensor records the number of passing cars and any traffic congestion, as well as detecting whether a parking space is occupied or not. All this information is either transmitted via mobile radio and a gateway to the responsible control centre or used directly. According to LTS, the system requires less installation work than the induction loops generally used to date. As an example of the system’s capabilities, a project in the city of Bern has shown that electric car charging stations can be managed more efficiently with TAPS: the system not only recognises when an electric vehicle is parked but can also tell if it is charging.
LTS Light Technic Solution was founded in 2017 by economist Thomas Langer and computer scientist Emanuell Tomes. The company has since grown to thirteen staff members, and its innovative traffic management system is now in its third generation. TAPS is already demonstrating its effectiveness in several Swiss cities and truck parks, as well as in countries such as Estonia. It has been particularly well received in cities such as Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Riyadh, where large-scale use is planned. LTS is working on further IoT solutions for urban energy, water supply, waste disposal and more.
LTS Light Technic Solution AG
