Area Traffic Control system(ATC) in Thailand

Area Traffic Control System (ATC)

The Area Traffic Control (ATC) system adaptively controls and adjusts the traffic lights depending on the care density of each inter-section, which is obtained from the vehicle loop detectors. Then the car density of each inter-section is calculated by the computer system in order to control the traffic lights of every inter-section in the most effective way.

Features

Area traffic control (ATC) systems process signal timing plans according to traffic demand throughout the day. However, the existing ATC systems in Thailand are a pretimed control with fixed timing plans. These systems therefore cannot efficiently accommodate the certainties of traffic demand fluctuation. The engineers of FORTH-ATC have researched and developed the area traffic control systems that can adjust signal timing according to traffic demand, which certainly leads to efficient traffic management in general.

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Traffic Detection System

Traffic detectors collect traffic demand information and are linked with controllers. Traffic information is transmitted to the central computer at the control center and is processed to determine optimal signal timing.

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Central Processing Unit consists of three elements

A.	Cycle Length Determination:
B.	Split Calculation
C.	Offset Calculation

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User Interface and Traffic Condi"on Repor"ng System

-	There is a Graphic User Interface (GUI) in Thai language which is user-friendly.
-	Real-time traffic condition report: data from traffic detectors, system status, and signal timing in the next cycle.
-	Users can control any intersecons from this system in the control room.
-	Keep historical traffic data so that users can retrieve data and present data in graphic formats.

Benefits

•	Reduce traveling time
•	Reduce fuel use
•	Reduce pollution such as air, noise etc.
•	Save surveying cost

Advantages of the System

•	FORTH-ATC is designed to continuously detect and optimize signal timing in accordance with the change of traffic demand.
•	FORTH-ATC can report current traffic conditions by processing data from detectors.
•	FORTH-ATC is developed by Thai engineers with good understandings of traffic congestion problems in Thailand by taking into account of Thai traffic condions and driving behaviors.
•	FORTH-ATC has a control system at the control center. In case of emergency, any intersecons can directly be controlled from the control center.
•	FORTH-ATC is designed with the concept of system expansion. Therefore, no enre system upgrade is required for a system expansion.
•	FORTH-ATC can help reduce travel times and number of stops at signalized intersecons. Therefore, it can help reduce fuel consumption rates for road users.
•	FORTH-ATC is designed with good GUI. It is user-friendly for system controllers.