Smart traffic management technology has the potential to address traffic issues, improve transportation efficiency, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. According to a new Juniper Research study, global CO2 emissions savings from smart traffic management systems will be 205 MMT (Million Metric Tons) by 2027, a 41 percent increase from 145.7 MMT in 2022. According to analysts, this figure is nearly twice the CO2 emissions from UK domestic transportation in 2019.
The main influencing factor will be reduced congestion through optimized traffic control. To reduce congestion and emissions, smart traffic management employs digital technologies to manage traffic based on real-time data.
According to the study, the environmental benefits of smart traffic management systems are extremely compelling, including significant reductions in traffic congestion and emissions, as well as prioritizing greener transportation modes. The report also identified smart interactions as a driving reduction, with hours spent in traffic expected to decrease by 36 hours per motorist globally by 2027.
According to the report, investment in smart intersections will reach $10.2 billion by 2027, up from $5.7 billion in 2022. It expects smart intersection vendors to focus on improving connectivity between road vehicles and the local road network ecosystem, in line with government smart city initiatives. Juniper Research suggested that providers of such technology take advantage of 5G’s low-latency capabilities, combined with machine learning algorithms, to enable real-time network adjustments and improve traffic flow.
Furthermore, the study – Smart Traffic Management: Use Cases, Regional Analysis, and Marketing Forecasts 2022-2027 – contends that cybersecurity must be considered during the implementation of smart traffic systems to maximize public support, thereby alleviating concerns about data collection and storage. According to the authors, smart management systems must be prioritized for cybersecurity implementation in order to protect user data transmitted at every stage of the process. Given the potential for cyberattacks to disrupt infrastructure via denial of service, robust cybersecurity strategies are required to prevent threats to the road infrastructure’s integrity.