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Stuck in a jam?

Artificial Intelligence warns of upcoming traffic jams and gives routes to avoid it.

New artificial intelligence-based satellite navigation – being developed by researchers at the University of Portsmouth – can sense traffic slowing down and building up into a jam by monitoring other vehicles on the road.

This method allows the ‘Congestion Avoidance Dynamic Routing Engine’ (CADRE) to warn motorists of a situation, like a traffic jam, five to 10 miles away and recommend the best route to take before the congestion hits.

CADRE’s AI software is built with a ‘fuzzy logic’ that mimics human reasoning and was developed at the university’s Institute of Industrial Research (IIR) which specialises in using artificial intelligence techniques for industrial applications.

Dr David Brown, Head of the IIR, said: “The system interprets live data from current traffic conditions so the motorist receives up-to-the-minute advice and can make an informed choice. It’s designed to take the pain out of that agonising decision about whether to try an alternative route which could be equally congested.”

The project is part of a consortium, consisting of the University of Portsmouth, ComSine, Smartcom Software, the Transport Research Laboratory, ViaMichelin and Hampshire County Council.

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