Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) apply an array of smart devices to the infrastructures of railroads, roadways, ports, and public transit systems. Using the power of these tools, ITS aims to improve the life safety of drivers, passengers and pedestrians through a diverse range of applications that help ease congestion, identify and analyze traffic flows, enforce speed limits, monitor weather conditions, collect tolls, and automate the routing of emergency response vehicles, among others functions. Alleviating traffic congestion means ITS can also limit the environmental impact of greenhouse gases. Although unusual, ITS has even played a role in the rapid mass evacuations of urban areas following natural disasters.

ITS works by processing and sharing real-time data collected by roadside and in-vehicle devices capable of sensing, analyzing, controlling and predicting traffic conditions. Increasingly sophisticated, these devices run the gamut from IP cameras and weather sensors to inductive loops that count the number of vehicles passing through a magnetic field during a set time, along with collecting data on the vehicle’s speed, length, class and the distance between it and other vehicles. The abundance of data collected by ITS is a goldmine for cities seeking to optimize performance of their transportation infrastructure. Cities leverage this data to identify traffic trends, plan infrastructure upgrades, and implement data-driven policies to support and enhance overall mobility and safety.

Industrial switches form the backbone of ITS. Without industrial switch connectivity capabilities, the promise of ITS’s innovative services could never be realized. In this blog, we explore the cutting-edge technology of industrial switches and how they are revolutionizing some of the ways federal, state and local governments are approaching traffic applications. We will also look at specific applications where Antaira switch technology has added intelligence and security to ITS systems so that drivers, passengers and pedestrians travel more efficiently, while experiencing a safer ride.

Tollbooth System Management

Industrial switches enable real-time data exchange between sensors at a toll plaza and a central control room. Furthermore, industrial managed Ethernet switches are assisting in the migration from traditional toll booths towards Electronic Toll Collection (ETC) and Open Road Tolling (ORT). As a result, industrial switches are helping to mitigate congestion, decrease wait times at toll plazas, and increase payments to government agencies.

Antaira’s Answer: Antaira was approached to develop a managed industrial network switch fiber backbone for a toll plaza experiencing traffic bottlenecks. At the top of the requirements list were real-time data transmission, fiber connectivity, high MTBF and the capability of combining data from different communication mediums. Antaira answered with its LMX-1204G-SFP-T 12-port industrial managed Ethernet switch, LNP-0802C-SFP-24-T 8-port unmanaged PoE switch featuring a low voltage input, and LMP-1002G-SFP-T 10-port PoE+ Gigabit managed Ethernet switch, along with STE-716Bi 16-port serial device servers. Antaira industrial managed Ethernet switches achieved needed network redundancy at the toll plaza with sub-second recovery times. Antaira switches equipped with PoE and PoE+ also helped power the various traffic management devices in the plaza. The managed switch fiber backbone now supports a constant flow of data sent to and from devices at different locations within the toll plaza and remotely to the control room.

Intelligent Signal Control & Traffic Monitoring

Industrial switches facilitate the seamless transmission and integration of various networks, cameras, sensors, and other surveillance devices that operate across a network of busy intersections and highways. By gathering real-time data on traffic volume, speed, and patterns, traffic management authorities can proactively address congestion, accidents, and potential hazards. For instance, a traffic controller confronted with heavy congestion can choose to lengthen green lights or skip turn signal phases when no vehicle is present in order to alleviate traffic.

Antaira’s Answer: An Antaira customer recognized their transportation system needed higher speed data transmission and improved network performance with redundancy to keep up with a surge in input data from sensors and other devices monitoring traffic conditions. The customer’s requirements were for an open network technology standard, real-time data transmission, industrial-grade vibration resistance, and redundant hardware for 24/7 operation. Antaira responded with its LMP-1002G-SFP Series 10-Port Industrial PoE+ Managed Ethernet Switch equipped with layer 2 network management software optimized to allow remote monitoring and management of the network with total reliability. This was coupled with an STE-6104C-T-V2 4-Port Serial Device Server featuring multiple RS232 connections for bridging legacy serial measurement devices. Fiber-optic connections on Antaira managed switches provided long-distance communication at higher speeds with the benefit of infrastructure redundancy to ensure data arrives at the traffic management center without delay.

Resilient Infrastructure for Extreme Environments

Industrial switches are engineered to combat harsh environmental conditions, making some versions of them ideal for ITS applications in extreme climates or challenging terrains. Unlike standard Ethernet switches with ports that fail to function in hostile industrial settings, an industrial switch will resist wide temperature ranges, heavy vibrations and shock, exposure to water and dust, damaging electromagnetic noise, or worse.

Antaira’s Answer: A highway authority contacted Antaira for help in the networking of multiple truck weight stations with new fiber optic backbones. Fiber's capacity for long-distance communication, high bandwidth, and noise immunity makes it optimal for busy weigh stations. However, given that the weigh stations are located outdoors near busy highways, whatever network switch was installed would need to endure constant traffic vibrations, wide temperature ranges, and high humidity levels. Antaira had the answer with its LMP-1002G-SFP Series 10-Port Industrial PoE+ Gigabit Managed Ethernet Switch. In addition to eight Gigabit ports, the industrial switch offers two SFP slots for long distance fiber connectivity. Its rugged metal housing is IP30 rated and features the reliability of an operating temperature of -10°C to 70°C. Cameras and other end devices at the weigh stations were able to take advantage of the switches’ 30W per port PoE, eliminating the need for electrical outlets. Redundant power input (48 to 55VDC) coupled with remote PoE management and automatic power recovery, boosts the availability of critical devices including video cameras that monitor trucks coming and going.

As ITS continues to advance, it is crucial to adopt more industrial networks and switches that can adapt and evolve to future market needs. Antaira industrial switches offer the flexibility to support and accommodate emerging ITS technologies, such as vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communication, cybersecurity, and artificial intelligence. Antaira Ethernet switches are optimized to form the backbone of future-proof traffic systems, ensuring cities stay prepared for the transportation challenges of tomorrow — from reducing traffic congestion to enhancing safety and sustainability. To learn more, contact our technical support team at (714) 671-9000 or email us at sales@antaira.com.