INTELIGHTS: India’s First 3-D Smart Traffic Signal

INTELIGHTS is India’s pioneering 3-D smart traffic signal system developed to revolutionise urban traffic management through the application of intelligent sensor-based technology. Designed to adapt dynamically to real-time traffic conditions, INTELIGHTS represents a significant innovation in the domain of traffic control and road safety. This system marks India’s entry into advanced intelligent transport systems, focusing on reducing congestion, improving road discipline, and enhancing the overall efficiency of traffic flow in cities.

Background and Development

INTELIGHTS was conceptualised and developed by a team of engineering students from the Electronics and Communication Department of Chitkara University, Punjab, India. The project was initiated as part of a research-driven effort to address the persistent issue of vehicular congestion and signal inefficiency on Indian roads. Traditional traffic signals operate on a fixed timer mechanism that does not account for variable traffic volumes at different times of the day. INTELIGHTS sought to overcome this limitation by employing a 3-D sensor-based adaptive traffic control system.
The development was supported by the National Commission for Science and Technology and gained attention due to its potential to reduce waiting times and fuel consumption at intersections. The system was tested and demonstrated in controlled environments before being recommended for urban pilot implementation in selected cities.

Working Principle and Technology

The INTELIGHTS system operates through an intelligent algorithm integrated with a 3-D image sensor network. These sensors continuously monitor the density and movement of vehicles at intersections in real time. The system then processes this data and adjusts the duration of green, yellow, and red lights accordingly.
Key operational features include:

• 3-D Image Sensors: These detect traffic density and vehicle movement from multiple angles, unlike conventional 2-D cameras that only capture flat imagery.
• Real-Time Data Processing: An embedded controller analyses traffic volume and adjusts signal timing dynamically to optimise vehicle flow.
• Adaptive Timing Mechanism: The green light duration is automatically extended or reduced depending on the density of vehicles in each lane.
• Emergency Vehicle Priority: The system can detect ambulances or police vehicles and grant them priority passage by adjusting signal timing.

The use of 3-D sensors enables higher accuracy in vehicle detection, even in adverse weather or low-light conditions, ensuring reliability and consistency in performance.

Advantages and Impact

The introduction of INTELIGHTS is expected to address several long-standing urban transport challenges in India. Among the most significant benefits are:

• Reduction in Traffic Congestion: By adapting to real-time traffic flow, waiting times at signals are considerably minimised.
• Lower Fuel Consumption: Vehicles spend less time idling at intersections, leading to fuel savings and lower emissions.
• Improved Emergency Response: The system’s ability to prioritise emergency vehicles enhances public safety.
• Enhanced Traffic Discipline: Dynamic signalling encourages smoother driving patterns and discourages aggressive acceleration or jumping signals.
• Scalability: The technology can be implemented in both metropolitan and smaller city environments with minimal infrastructural modification.

Comparison with Conventional Traffic Systems

Traditional traffic signal systems in India are largely based on fixed-time operations, where the duration of green and red lights is predetermined and remains unchanged regardless of traffic density. Such systems fail to respond effectively to peak-hour congestion or unexpected fluctuations in traffic volume.
In contrast, INTELIGHTS introduces a dynamic and adaptive mechanism that uses sensory data to optimise timing sequences in real time. This significantly improves vehicular throughput and ensures more equitable distribution of road usage across different lanes and directions.
Furthermore, the 3-D sensor technology used in INTELIGHTS distinguishes it from earlier adaptive systems that relied solely on inductive loop detectors or basic camera feeds, which were limited by environmental factors and detection accuracy.

Implementation and Future Prospects

Following its development, INTELIGHTS attracted attention from municipal corporations and state transport departments for potential adoption in smart city projects. Pilot testing has indicated marked improvements in average vehicle clearance time and reductions in traffic-related delays.
The future scope of INTELIGHTS includes integration with broader smart city networks through Internet of Things (IoT) connectivity. This would allow synchronisation between multiple intersections, central monitoring by traffic control centres, and data analytics for long-term traffic planning. Additionally, artificial intelligence could be integrated to predict congestion patterns and pre-emptively adjust signal cycles.
As urbanisation in India continues to intensify, systems like INTELIGHTS are likely to form the backbone of intelligent transport infrastructure. They also align with national objectives such as the Digital India initiative and the Smart Cities Mission, aiming to modernise urban living through technology-driven solutions.

Significance for Urban Mobility

The successful development of INTELIGHTS represents more than a technological breakthrough; it symbolises India’s growing capacity for indigenous innovation in intelligent systems engineering. The system directly addresses the complex realities of Indian roads—high traffic volumes, heterogeneous vehicle types, and inconsistent driving behaviours.