Big data like this allows TfL to regulate intervals between buses, ending that bane of commuters: long waits followed by clumps of buses. It also helps cut pollution — a key election pledge of Mayor Sadiq Khan. TfL does this by making sure buses keep moving instead of idling in traffic, spewing out CO2. It will soon also tell passengers when the air is particularly bad via onboard screens.
Reed said traffic lights at 2,500 intersections are now equipped with sensors that receive a short-wave signal from an approaching bus. During the 2012 Olympics, London tested a system that kept lights green for traffic in and out of the Olympic village. In all, the city already has more than 7,000 sensors out on roads. [...]
The next stage for traffic light communication is adding the ability to determine how full each bus is, Reed said. This would prioritize packed buses while holding empty ones back to pick up more commuters. TfL is already working on a system that uses onboard cameras to determine how many seats are free for display to boarding passengers; it’s only a matter of time before that data is transmitted too. [...]
Daimler ran a self-driving bus with passengers on a 20-kilometer stretch of road this summer between Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport and the city of Haarlem. The key to success was having a dedicated lane reserved for buses, reducing the risk of collision with other traffic.
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