In the Philippines, researchers are developing a system to help the traffic flow
Traffic jams are rising worldwide, with drivers wasting an average of 100 hours a year in long queues in most large cities, worsening air pollution, increasing health issues, and causing economic losses. In the Philippines, an innovative decentralized system that uses AI and the Internet of Things, leveraging computer vision algorithms, aims to optimize traffic flow in mid-sized cities and reduce traffic by 30 percent.
Mid-sized cities in the Philippines cannot afford centralized smart-city infrastructure and instead rely on fixed-scheduled traffic lights to regulate traffic, regardless of real-time conditions. TrafficEZ seeks to provide them with a cheaper and more efficient alternative.
Dr. Franch Maverick Lorilla, Professor at the College of Technology, Energy Management Systems, and Engineer Alex Llave Maureal, Vice Chancellor for Research, Innovation, and Extension, both at the University of Science and Technology of the Philippines, began developing TrafficEZ in 2023.
Traffic Control Device with Real-Time Monitoring
Cities in the Philippines face varying traffic challenges, which are managed by local government units (LGUs).
TrafficEZ allows the signal timing to be adjusted in real time based on the vehicle flow at each intersection. Each junction, explained Dr. Franch, “works like a smart, independent unit with its edge device connected to a camera that monitors the flow.” The smart traffic management system relies on AI-based computer vision, he said.
Although decentralized, the system works in two tiers. The first tier is real-time traffic monitoring through connected cameras, detailed Alex. It manages stop-and-go intervals and adjusts timing based on traffic density.
The second layer, he said, is data collection and dispatch to the Cloud, where local government units can monitor all intersections equipped with Traffic EZ devices. Data collection is used for monitoring, telemetry, data aggregation, dashboarding, and policy evaluation.
A Smart Traffic Solution for Mid-Sized Cities and Rural Areas
TrafficEZ's market target is mid-sized cities that cannot afford sophisticated systems. “They can start with one to three junctions, and expand later,” Alex said. He further mentioned that by subscribing to the Cloud service, cities can monitor traffic and assess future needs.
TrafficEZ was tested on the ground in the city of El Salvador, but was limited to 7,200 hours. “We would like to validate the system in other areas, in highly urbanized cities, as well as in some rural areas, and test different scenarios to refine the system”, he said.
Using cameras outdoors comes with its set of challenges, among which environmental conditions such as very strong rain, poor night lighting, glare, camera occlusion or physical obstruction, Alex explained, adding that those potential issues have been addressed one by one since 2023.
Operating decentralized units decreases the risk of data integrity and cybersecurity threats, said Dr. Franch. “Each node on the traffic lights only transfers data to the Cloud if the user wants a dashboard online with live conditions.
IoT and Ai-Powered Traffic Control System with Privacy in Mind
TrafficEZ uses the Internet of Things for data acquisition and an AI system to regulate light timing. The Cloud repository is AI-powered, Alex explained.
Any technology that uses cameras to capture images of the public raises data privacy concerns. « We designed the system with privacy in mind, » said Dr. Franch. TrafficEZ does not store personal data or identify individuals. It only analyzes vehicle movement and patterns, and identifies the vehicle types. The technology also counts pedestrians waiting to cross, Alex added, but it is not trained to identify people.
Beyond traffic regulation, some interested parties have asked about carbon emissions evaluation and the identification of traffic violations. Both are technologically possible, Dr. Franch confirmed, but there are privacy issues. « TrafficEZ is not intended for that purpose, » Alex added.
IP Commercialization Guidance for TrafficEZ
The two researchers are now ready to launch TrafficEZ on the market. Local Government Units and some cities have already expressed their interest and begun inquiries.
The business model is based on a two-tiered approach, with a separate price for decentralized units and a subscription model for Cloud services.
Alex remarked that only a few cities have baseline traffic data, which is required to set up the system. The company will be able to create a data-driven proposal for the TrafficEZ pilot implementation and full implementation, generating another revenue stream.
Dr. Franch and Alex joined the ASEAN-WIPO Lab-to-Market project (L2M) Program. The program, funded by the Korea Funds-in-Trust for Industrial Property, supports university-based technology innovation and provides technology transfer professionals with skills and mentoring to commercialize IP. “The program gave us strong mentorship that really helped us shape how we think about TrafficEZ,” Dr. Franch said, adding that it helped them to build TrafficEZ into a sustainable and scalable business, providing valuable insights on the business model, go-to-market strategy, and sales approach for their business-to-government model.
The technology portfolio includes registered industrial design and copyright. A patent is pending for filing, and a trademark is expected to be filed.
A Made-In-Philippines Traffic Monitoring System
In the next five years, the two researchers envision Traffic EZ becoming a standard traffic management system in the Philippines and the go-to traffic system for both mid-sized and larger cities.
Beyond developing a homegrown smart mobility solution that local governments can adopt without relying on expensive foreign systems, they also wish to show that universities, “aside from being the knowledge fountain of the community,” can contribute to the economy. TrafficEZ can become a model of what defines you as a modern faculty and modern professors,” said Dr. Franch, who is the startup founder and former COO of CloudFarm Innovations.
