1

Research Article
Volume-1 | Issue-1| Jan-Jun-2024|
JOURNAL OF
Image Processing and Image
Restoration
Double Blind Peer Reviewed Journal
DOI: https://doi.org/10.48001/JoIPIR

Density Based Traffic Management System

for Smart Cities

Priyanka SM1, Sharath GK1, V. Ganesh1, Varun AV1, Jayalaxmi H1*

1
Department of Electronics and Communication Engineering, Acharya Institute of Technology, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
*
Corresponding Author’s Email: [email protected]

ARTICLE HISTORY: ABSTRACT: In most cities throughout the world, traffic congestion is a serious issue
that has turned into a nightmare for the locals. It is brought on by signal delay, improper
Received: 16th Dec, 2023
traffic signal timing, etc. Traffic does not affect the hard-coded traffic light delay, which
Revised: 16th Jan, 2024 is independent of it. Consequently, there is an increasing need for systematic quick
Accepted: 24th Jan, 2024 automatic systems to optimise traffic control. This essay is intended to Upon detecting the
Published: 9th Feb, 2024 level of traffic at the intersection, the signal time adjusts automatically. This work makes
use of a Raspberry Pi microcontroller. Modern technology is being used to optimise
KEYWORDS: traffic flow in cities, including the density-based traffic management system for smart
Artificial Intelligence (AI), cities. This technology uses a variety of sensors and cameras to gather real-time traffic
Cutting-edge technologies, information that is then analysed to spot congested regions and forecast future traffic
trends. This data is used by the system to dynamically change traffic signal timings,
Internet of Things (IoT),
redirect traffic to less crowded routes, and give drivers and pedestrians real-time
Machine learning,
information via mobile apps and electronic signage. This system offers a more effective,
Raspberry Pi
safe, and sustainable solution to managing urban traffic by utilising cutting-edge
microcontroller
technologies like artificial intelligence, machine learning, and the Internet of Things
(IoT). This system decreases travel times and carbon emissions while enhancing the
quality of life for city dwellers.
1. INTRODUCTION which will result in a considerable increase in traffic
(Uzairue et al., 2018). Congestion in the road may result
Fast and frequent mobility is crucial for any nation's
from heavy traffic at a crossroads. To avoid congestion,
economic development. Poor management and traffic
there are many traffic management techniques available.
congestion lead to lengthy wait times, fuel waste, and
However, no technique is perfect on its own because real-
financial losses. Therefore, a nation's prosperity depends
time conditions continually shift, pushing the system to
on having a rapid, inexpensive, and efficient traffic control
adapt to the new surroundings. We have made an attempt
system. The monitoring and control of city traffic has
to provide a variety of traffic management solutions that
become a severe problem in many countries. Given the
are self-changing in nature in an effort to suit the
increasing number of vehicles on the road, the Traffic
constantly changing real-time traffic conditions (Idachaba
Monitoring Authority needs to come up with novel
et al., 2017; Panaggio et al., 2013; Vidhya & Banu, 2014;
solutions to this problem. One method for improving the
Tubaishat et al., 2007).
safety and traffic flow of the current transportation system
is the application of automation and intelligent control This technique allots time to each traffic signal for a
technology (Somefun et al., 2020; Uzondu et al., 2018; Pau certain lane based on the volume of traffic on the road and
et al., 2018). Future intelligent control infrastructures will gives the ambulance priority. A signal break in a particular
have limited resources and a growing number of drivers, lane can also be indicated. Both the city's population and
DOI: https://doi.org/10.48001/JoIPIR.2023.111-5 Copyright (c) 2024 QTanalytics India (Publications)
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the number of vehicles on the road are increasing daily. such as the quantity of vehicles, their speeds, and their
Controlling streets, highways, and roads has turned into a directions of travel. Vehicle detection and tracking, vehicle
crucial issue as urban populations and vehicle numbers density estimation in a certain area, and vehicle behaviour
rise. The fundamental reason for the current traffic prediction can all be done with the use of image processing
problem is the traffic management strategies used. Modern techniques including edge detection, object recognition,
traffic management systems are inefficient because they do and pattern matching.
not place enough emphasis on real-world traffic situations
2. OBJECTIVES
(Udoakah & Okure, 2017; Sherly & Somasundareswari,
2015). The objectives of the proposed work are:
A lane is initially captured on film by a camera. The traffic • IoT based traffic management system.
density is then calculated by analysing these photos
effectively. In order to manage traffic based on the • Integration of imaging and control for IoT based TMS.
processed data, the controller will command the traffic 3. METHODOLOGY
LEDs to display a specified time on the signal. Modern
technology, the density-based traffic management system 3.1 Flow Diagram
for smart cities, uses data-driven techniques to optimise
traffic flow in urban areas. This system makes use of a
range of sensors and cameras to collect real-time traffic
data. To identify congested areas and predict future traffic
patterns, the data is evaluated. One of the most popular
ways to use such systems is to combine image processing
techniques with a small single-board computer like the
Raspberry Pi.
Raspberry Pi is a versatile and reasonably priced
computing platform that may be used for many different
purposes. In order to gather useful traffic data, such as the
number of vehicles, their speeds, and their directions of
movement, it can examine real-time video feeds from
cameras. Algorithms for image processing are utilised in
conjunction with this. This information can then be used to
dynamically change the timing of traffic signals and steer
traffic to less congested routes.
Image processing is a branch of computer science that
focuses on analysing digital images. Techniques like edge
detection, object recognition, and pattern matching are
used to extract useful information from photographs.
Application areas for image processing in traffic
management include the detection and monitoring of
moving objects as well as their speed, direction, and
density estimation.
By combining Raspberry Pi with image processing
methods, the density-based traffic control system can Figure 1: Flow Diagram.
provide an economical and scalable solution for urban 1. A traffic camera records pictures or a live video feed
traffic management. This technology has the potential to of the traffic situation.
significantly cut commuting times, reduce fuel
consumption, and improve air quality for city people in 2. Raspberry Pi: A compact, reasonably priced computer
general. An overview of the Raspberry Pi-based, image that can run a variety of programmes. It serves as the
processing-based, density-based traffic control system for traffic management system's central processing unit.
smart cities is provided in this paper. The fast development 3. Image Processor: The Raspberry Pi analyses the video
of urbanisation has led to an increase in traffic congestion or picture frames that are sent to it from the traffic
in cities, which has become a severe problem for both camera. It carries out preprocessing operations on
commuters and the environment. An image processing images, including resizing, noise reduction, and
system and a Raspberry Pi-based density-based traffic enhancement.
control system have both been developed for smart cities
to address this issue. 4. Image Processing and Object Detection: In this step,
preprocessed photos are examined to find and classify
The single-board computer Raspberry Pi is the perfect tool objects of interest, primarily cars. For precise object
for building such systems. It is inexpensive, adaptable, and detection, methods like deep learning algorithms and
simple to use. The Raspberry Pi can analyse live video computer vision can be used.
feeds from cameras to extract helpful traffic information,
DOI: https://doi.org/10.48001/JoIPIR.2023.111-5 Copyright (c) 2024 QTanalytics India (Publications)
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5. Vehicle Detection and Analysis: The vehicles are c) Object Tracking: Employ methods to follow the
analysed to determine traffic density and other objects that have been found throughout a number of
pertinent parameters. frames. Tracking algorithms, such as particle filters,
Estimate the traffic density for each lane or
6. Traffic Management: The density analysis results are
intersection using the objects that have been found and
used for traffic management decisions. This can
followed.
include optimizing traffic signal timings based on the
traffic density, adjusting lane configurations, and • Decision Making: When making choices about traffic
managing traffic flow to alleviate congestion. signal regulation, consider the information on work
traffic density. The decision-making algorithm should
7. Traffic Signals: The traffic signal control system,
take into account elements including the volume of
which manages the timing and sequencing of traffic
traffic, vehicle speeds, and the general direction of
signals at junctions depending on the information
traffic flow.
collected, is then given the traffic management
decisions shown in Figure 1. a) Threshold-based Approach: Set predefined thresholds
for various levels of traffic density using the
The entire system runs in a loop, continuously taking
threshold-based approach. Determine which threshold
traffic images, processing them, analysing traffic density,
is crossed based on the recorded density, and then
making management decisions, and then modifying the
modify the timing of the traffic signal accordingly.
traffic signal control system. Based on current
position, speed, and trajectory are made easier by
circumstances, this aids in the dynamic management of
tracking.
traffic flow and enhancement of overall traffic efficiency
are shown in Figure 2. b) Adaptive Control: Use algorithms for adaptive control
to dynamically change the timing of traffic lights
based on current traffic density. Based on past data
and current observations, these algorithms can employ
machine learning techniques to learn and improve the
timings of traffic signals.
• Traffic Control: Use the traffic light system's
interface to transmit control signals based on the
choices made in the previous phase. To improve
traffic flow and lessen congestion, control signals
should change the timing of traffic lights.

Figure 2: Specifications of Raspberry Pi. • Evaluation and Optimisation: Constantly keep an

eye on and assess how well the density-based traffic
4. IMPLEMENTATION light management system is working. Obtain feedback
The steps to suggest an approach for density-based traffic from traffic data, assess the impact of the methods
light regulation utilising image processing are shown in used, and make necessary adjustments or
Figure 3: optimisations.

• Data Gathering: Install cameras or sensors in key

locations to gather real-time traffic data. These
cameras should be positioned in multiple lanes and
directions to provide a clear view of the traffic flow.
• Image Processing: Examine the gathered photographs
and use image processing techniques to extract
relevant information about traffic density. Typical
image processing techniques include image
enhancement, object tracking, and object detection.
a) Image Enhancement after Pre-Processing: The
photographs will have enhanced quality, contrast, and
clarity. Operations including noise reduction, contrast
modification, and image filtering may be used in this
step.
b) Object Detection: Using computer vision algorithms,
locate and recognise vehicles and other interesting
items in the images. Haar cascades, HOG (Histogram
of Oriented Gradients), or more advanced methods Figure 3: Model of Traffic Management System.
like deep learning-based object detection models are
examples of techniques.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.48001/JoIPIR.2023.111-5 Copyright (c) 2024 QTanalytics India (Publications)

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5. LITERATURE SURVEY
A Raspberry Pi-based smart traffic control system based
on image processing. Real-time traffic data was captured
by cameras and processed using image processing
techniques by the system. According to the study, the
suggested solution was successful in easing traffic
congestion and enhancing traffic flow.
The device used a camera to take pictures of the traffic,
and algorithms for image processing were used to find and
count the automobiles. According to the study, the
suggested solution was successful in easing traffic
congestion and enhancing traffic flow. The device used a
camera to take pictures of the traffic, and algorithms for
image processing were used to find and count the
automobiles. Figure 5: Vehicle Count.
A cutting-edge method for managing traffic at connected 7. CONCLUSION
intersections. The green time for each phase of a traffic-
With the help of this work, the issue of traffic may be
light cycle is proposed to be determined using a dynamic
quickly resolved because each signal's timing can be
programming (DP) technique with a local fuzzy-logic
automatically altered in real time in accordance with the
controller (FLC) installed at each junction. This study
volume of traffic. Additionally, it will provide space for
investigates a practical technique to enable the
the ambulance and fire department in case of emergencies.
straightforward deployment of coordination among
Additionally, it will help members of the general public
junctions while seeking to reduce delays, if possible, rather
make decisions so they may use the auto-routing system to
than pursuing the absolute optimisation of traffic delay.
get where they're going on time. It explains how to
6. RESULTS decrease traffic congestion and avoid wasting time waiting
for a green light on an empty road. It is also more accurate
• A Raspberry Pi-based density-based traffic at detecting the presence of automobiles because it uses
management system might utilise cameras or sensors real traffic images. Since it simulates reality, it works
to keep track of the number of cars in various parts of noticeably better than systems that rely on the detection of
a road network. A compact, reasonably priced device the metal composition of the vehicle.
called the Raspberry Pi can serve as the main
processing hub for gathering and analysing this data. Although the method is efficient, more work needs to be
done to get perfect precision. It proves that it is possible to
• A density-based traffic management system can also do so and stops time from being lost because of a green
help in the detection of accidents or other issues that light on an empty route. It is also more accurate at
happen on the road. The system can spot unusual detecting the presence of automobiles because it uses real
events and notify authorities or emergency services for traffic images. Overall, the system works well, but more
a quick reaction by analysing changes in traffic effort is required to make it completely accurate.
patterns as shown in Figure 4 and 5.
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