Spanish Oddities
Intelligent traffic light on trial in Castellón
By m.p. - Oct 28, 2009 - 11:17 AM
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Público TV
The lights change when sensors detect a pedestrian waiting to cross the road
A new type of traffic light is currently on trial in Castellón which uses sensors placed beneath the pavement to detect pedestrians waiting to cross the road. Designed by the Biomechanics Institute in Valencia, the system has been installed at a crossing near a school in the city, and is able to differentiate between a person in movement or someone waiting at the kerb to cross over.
The sensors which detect the pedestrian’s presence then trigger the light changes: red for the vehicles on the road and the green light indicating that it is safe to cross. The sensors are triggered again for a green traffic signal once the pedestrian has reached the other side, helping in this way to improve traffic flow.
The system was presented at a road safety conference in Gijón last Friday.