Method for controlling traffic flows in road traffic, traffic control system

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for controlling traffic flows in road traffic using at least one switchable traffic control element (7), preferably a light signal, traffic sign and / or a road marking, wherein (a) traffic data are collected and / or collected from a number of vehicles participating in road traffic (1), (b) a machine learning algorithm is used to predict future traffic volumes based on these traffic data, and (c) by switching the at least one traffic control element (7) the traffic flows are controlled preemptively, whereby a predefined objective is pursued, for example the avoidance of traffic jams. The invention further relates to a traffic control system (2) comprising at least one switchable traffic control element (7) and a computing unit (3).

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for controlling traffic flows in road traffic according to the preamble of claim 1. The invention further relates to a traffic control system for carrying out steps of a method according to the invention. State of the art

[0002] Road traffic volumes are generally extremely variable and dynamic. Depending on the time of day, weather conditions, construction sites, disruptions in rail traffic, and many other factors, traffic volumes can manifest themselves in very different and unexpected ways. Systems for controlling and / or regulating traffic flows, however, are largely static: traffic lights usually follow a fixed schedule, and priority and speed limits are usually determined on a route-by-route basis and announced via fixed traffic signs. Such static traffic control elements are ill-suited for efficient traffic management because they do not allow for the adjustment of traffic flows to actual traffic volumes.

[0003] Traffic flow control systems now exist that exhibit a certain degree of variability. For example, variable traffic signs can be found on motorways, which usually dynamically set a speed limit for the upcoming section of road or warn of hazards such as traffic jams. These control systems usually operate based on information about current traffic density provided by traffic cameras. These are typically installed in the immediate vicinity of the variable traffic signs. However, since control based on this information always represents a form of coming to terms with the past or, at best, a reaction to the current situation, the control systems used for this purpose can only react to the existing traffic volume.As a result, there are no effective ways to prevent undesirable traffic conditions through preventive action. Traffic jams, in particular, can only be responded to after the fact. This leads to impairments in road safety and smooth traffic flow. Furthermore, stop-and-go phenomena and temporary traffic standstills cannot be effectively addressed, which reduces traffic efficiency and often has environmentally harmful consequences due to increased emissions.

[0004] The invention is therefore concerned with the task of increasing the safety and efficiency of traffic, preventing traffic jams, and avoiding unnecessary energy consumption of vehicles due to temporary traffic standstills. To achieve this task, the method with the features of claim 1 is proposed. Advantageous further developments of the invention can be found in the subclaims. Furthermore, a traffic control system for carrying out steps of the method is specified. Disclosure of the invention

[0005] A method is proposed for controlling traffic flows in road traffic using at least one switchable traffic control element, preferably a traffic light, traffic sign and / or road marking. The method is characterized in that (a) traffic data are collected and / or collected from a number of vehicles participating in road traffic, (b) a machine learning algorithm is used to predict future traffic volumes based on these traffic data, and (c) by switching the at least one traffic control element, the traffic flows are controlled preemptively, whereby a predefined objective is pursued, for example the avoidance of traffic jams.

[0006] The proposed method enables proactive control of traffic flows, allowing traffic control processes to be deployed preventively before traffic jams form. This improves the smoothness of traffic flow and reduces or completely eliminates standstills. Furthermore, the proposed method enables real-time traffic control intervention. This allows for rapid response to unforeseen situations, such as accidents by displaying warning or detour information or by reserving a lane for emergency vehicles. This increases traffic safety. The traffic control elements include, for example, traffic lights, digital LED traffic signs, and / or controllable LED systems embedded in the road surface as switchable lane markings. The latter can, for example, indicate a direction of travel or draw attention to hazards.

[0007] In a further development of the invention it is proposed that - GPS data, - Data from vehicle sensors, preferably from assistance systems such as cameras or distance warning systems, and / or - Destination and / or route data from navigation devices are collected and / or gathered as traffic data. With this preferred embodiment, large amounts of data are utilized not only with regard to current vehicle positions but also with regard to the routes these vehicles are likely to take, their destinations, and their speeds. By using this traffic data, traffic densities on various route sections can be predicted. This not only increases the precision of traffic volume predictions in terms of their extent but also in terms of the time of their occurrence. Data from vehicle cameras or distance warning systems provide information about vehicle spacing, which is an important parameter for estimating traffic volume. Incorporating this parameter further completes the situational picture generated by collecting the traffic data.

[0008] It is further proposed that the traffic data collected be supplemented with meta information, preferably - Time of day or day, - calendar day, - special events, such as the end of school holidays or a football match, - weather data, - Data from traffic cameras and / or traffic drones and - data provided by digital map operators and / or traffic services regarding regional capacity utilization are supplemented. With this preferred embodiment, the situation report generated from the traffic data and the forecasts derived from it are expanded to include non-vehicle-related insights. The inclusion of date and time information can provide information, for example, on rush hour traffic volumes. Likewise, the inclusion of special events takes into account increased traffic volumes associated with these events. An expected shift to motor vehicles, for example by bicycle-oriented road users, can be determined from weather data such as rain or low temperatures.Information on detour phenomena due to obstacles such as construction sites or temporary closures that generate increased traffic volumes on certain route sections can be obtained from digital map operators and / or traffic services and further completes the situation report.

[0009] In a further development of the invention, it is proposed that by switching the at least one traffic control element, at least one lane is opened or closed for a traffic direction. This preferred embodiment reacts dynamically to existing or impending traffic volumes and adapts the traffic capacity of the corresponding route section to the actual demand.

[0010] It is further proposed that, by switching the at least one traffic control element, the timing of at least one traffic light system is changed in favor of one traffic direction. With adaptive timing, particularly of alternating traffic light systems, the traffic capacity of a route section is dynamically adapted to the existing demand. By integrating this preferred embodiment into a method according to the invention, traffic capacity can be reallocated more quickly and more frequently, so that, for example, longer green phases are only scheduled when this is justified not merely by a presumed but rather by actual traffic volume.

[0011] It is further proposed that the activation of at least one traffic control element establishes a maximum permissible speed on a route section. Higher speeds create greater safety margins and thus reduce the traffic capacity of a route. Dynamically adjusting the maximum speed to the actual traffic volume enables an optimized balance between traffic speed and vehicle throughput on a route section, thus enabling more efficient traffic control.

[0012] Furthermore, it is proposed that by activating at least one traffic control element on at least one lane, priority or right-of-way rights be assigned to specific vehicle types. For example, bus lanes can be dynamically opened as needed and dynamically re-opened when they are no longer available. During periods of increased delivery traffic, a lane can also be reserved for trucks, whose even distribution across all lanes would have a detrimental impact on traffic flow.

[0013] Furthermore, it is proposed that in step (c), in addition to the predefined objective, secondary aspects, preferably CO2 emissions on a route section and / or vehicle energy consumption, be taken into account. Such savings reduce overall air pollution on a route section and prevent the need to impose speed limits for air pollution control purposes that impair traffic flow. Consideration of these secondary aspects could, for example, involve setting the traffic speed on a route section so that vehicles always reach a traffic light during the green phase, thus avoiding unnecessary stopping.In another example, traffic flows can be controlled so that trucks, which generally have higher CO2 emissions than passenger vehicles and have to expend significantly more energy during acceleration, can drive as continuously as possible.

[0014] It is further proposed that data on current and / or predicted traffic volumes and hazard areas be transmitted to vehicles participating in road traffic. This preferred embodiment serves to improve traffic safety. This enables information on traffic volumes or hazard areas to be communicated not only on switchable traffic control elements such as digital traffic signs, but also to be available for digital processing by individual vehicles. For example, such information can be presented in a vehicle's head-up display or navigation system.

[0015] Furthermore, it is proposed that data on current and / or upcoming traffic flow control measures be transmitted to vehicles participating in road traffic. This preferred embodiment serves to improve traffic safety. Constantly changing or unexpected traffic conditions on familiar road sections can occur unexpectedly for drivers and cause hazards. With the proposed embodiment, traffic flow control measures can be processed by vehicles and displayed, for example, on navigation systems and / or head-up displays. Furthermore, they can be made known to a driver using visual, acoustic, and / or haptic warning signals.

[0016] Furthermore, a traffic control system is proposed, comprising at least one switchable traffic control element and a computing unit configured to carry out steps of a method according to the invention, analyze traffic data, and send switching commands to the at least one traffic control element. The proposed traffic control system allows for the coordinated switching of a plurality of traffic control elements. This enables coordinated control of traffic flows over long stretches of road, allowing available traffic capacity to be dynamically allocated to individual traffic flows as needed. Furthermore, a proposed traffic control system enables the implementation of steps of a method according to the invention, allowing preventive action to be taken in advance of traffic volumes.

[0017] A preferred embodiment of the invention is explained in more detail below with reference to a figure. The figure shows a schematic sequence of a method according to the invention. Detailed description of the figure

[0018] When implementing a method according to the invention, traffic data from vehicles 1 participating in road traffic is collected and sent to a central traffic control system 2. The traffic data includes, among other things, GPS data, data from sensors of the vehicles 1, for example, from cameras or distance warning systems, as well as destination and / or route data from navigation devices. Within the traffic control system 2, this data is evaluated by a computing unit 3. A machine learning algorithm is used to evaluate the data. The evaluation is carried out with the aim of predicting future traffic volumes on a section of road.

[0019] To improve forecast accuracy, the data collected from the vehicles 1 participating in road traffic is supplemented with further metadata. This includes historical data regarding regional loads, loads at specific times of day, peak-time information, and the like, which are provided in particular by digital map operators or traffic services 4. Traffic cameras 5, which monitor traffic density along route sections, are also included, as are traffic drones 6, which provide data on traffic movements from the air. Furthermore, information about the time of day, the corresponding calendar day, weather data, and other information related to traffic volume are included, depending on their availability.

[0020] If the forecast indicates a traffic volume likely to impede safety and / or smooth traffic flow, the traffic control system 2 preemptively counteracts this by having the computing unit 3 send switching commands to various traffic control elements 7. These include, for example, traffic lights, traffic signs, and road markings. By switching the traffic control elements 7, traffic flows are controlled preventively.

[0021] For example, on a multi-lane roadway, when high traffic volumes are expected in one direction, an additional lane is opened by activating a corresponding traffic sign and / or adaptive road markings. In addition, stop-start phenomena are prevented and a steady traffic flow is maintained by adjusting the timing of traffic lights and the speed limit applicable on the section of road.

[0022] In another scenario, in addition to ensuring unhindered traffic flow, other aspects are pursued, such as the lowest possible CO2 emissions on the route section and / or the lowest possible energy consumption of the vehicles. These aspects are taken into account, for example, by the traffic control system 2 granting priority or right-of-way to certain vehicle types. For this purpose, the traffic flow can sometimes be controlled in such a way that trucks, whose energy consumption and CO2 emissions during acceleration are significantly higher than those of passenger cars, can travel continuously.

[0023] Measures initiated by the traffic control system 2 are also transmitted to the vehicles 1 participating in road traffic. The transmitted information is processed within a vehicle 1 and clearly displayed for the driver. This can, for example, take the form of an information or warning display in a head-up display and / or on the on-board computer. Furthermore, the vehicle generates acoustic, visual, and / or haptic warning signals if there are indications that the driver has not acknowledged mandatory traffic control measures. For example, an alarm can be triggered if the vehicle 1 is in a lane that is not open for the current direction of travel or is reserved for other vehicle types.

Claims

[1] Method for controlling traffic flows in road traffic using at least one switchable traffic control element (7), preferably a traffic light, traffic sign and / or road marking, characterized by , that (a) traffic data are collected and / or collected from a number of vehicles participating in road traffic (1), (b) a machine learning algorithm is used to predict future traffic volumes based on these traffic data, and (c) by switching the at least one traffic control element (7) the traffic flows are controlled preemptively, whereby a predefined objective is pursued, for example the avoidance of traffic jams. [2] Method according to claim 1, characterized by , that - GPS data, - data from sensors of the vehicles (1), preferably from assistance systems such as cameras or distance warning systems, and / or - Destination and / or route data from navigation devices are collected and / or recorded as traffic data. [3] Method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by that the traffic data collected includes meta information, preferably - Time of day or day, - calendar day, - special events, such as the end of school holidays or a football match, - weather data, - Data from traffic cameras (5) and / or traffic drones (6) and - data provided by digital map operators and / or transport services (4) are supplemented with regard to regional capacity utilisation. [4] Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that by switching the at least one traffic control element (7) at least one lane is opened or closed for one direction of traffic. [5] Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized bythat by switching the at least one traffic control element (7) a timing of at least one traffic light system is changed in favor of one traffic direction. [6] Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that by switching the at least one traffic control element (7) a maximum permissible speed on a section of road is determined. [7] Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that by switching the at least one traffic control element (7) on at least one lane, priority or right-of-way rights are assigned to specific vehicle types. [8] Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that in step (c), in addition to the predefined objective, secondary aspects, preferably CO2 emissions on a route section and / or energy consumption of vehicles (1), are taken into account. [9] Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that data on current and / or predicted traffic volumes and danger spots are transmitted to vehicles participating in road traffic (1). [10] Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that data on current and / or upcoming measures to control traffic flows are transmitted to vehicles participating in road traffic (1). [11] Traffic control system (2) comprising at least one switchable traffic control element (7) and a computing unit (3) which is designed to carry out steps of a method according to one of the preceding claims, to analyze traffic data and to send switching commands to the at least one traffic control element (7).

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