Green Signal Lights for emergency vehicles in Calgary, Alberta

After a successful proof-of-concept phase, Kapsch TrafficCom (Kapsch) is now providing connected vehicle technology in the city of Calgary’s downtown metropolitan areas for a project that has received funding from Transport Canada’s “Program to Advance Connectivity and Automation in the Transportation System.”

In the downtown metropolitan area in central Calgary, Kapsch hybrid (DSRC/C-V2X) roadside units (RSUs) are already in operation at 12 intersections, and onboard units (OBUs) will soon be installed in ten city emergency vehicles (EVs). When the vehicle sirens are active, the traffic lights will automatically become green and enable the EVs to speed through the cleared intersections, thereby saving vital time and in some cases, ultimately lives.
The system is managed by the Kapsch Connected Mobility Control Center (CMCC), a software application that allows the road operator to oversee all connected vehicle assets from a central platform and to configure them remotely.
As part of the project, Kapsch has also installed its smartphone-based eWalk system at the Calgary intersections. The system enables visually-impaired pedestrians to safely cross the street by using audible smartphone notifications that activate whenever the pedestrian is near or in a signalized crosswalk. The intersections have been equipped with eWalk and are currently in the trial phase.
“We are pleased to partner with Calgary as it optimizes the urban mobility experience with innovative technical solutions,” said Chris Murray, president of Kapsch TrafficCom North America. “Kapsch is an internationally renowned expert in connected vehicle infrastructure and solutions, and this implementation of our signal phase and timing solution is an ideal application of our technology.”
Kapsch is the sole project partner with Calgary, and will provide ongoing support after the system installation. The one-year contract can be extended for two-year periods up to four times.