Pedestrian traffic light control with crosswalk FMCW radar and group tracking algorithm

Nimac, Peter (author), Krpič, Andrej (author), Batagelj, Boštjan (author), Gams, Andrej (author)

The increased mobility requirements of modern lifestyles put more stress on existing traffic infrastructure, which causes reduced traffic flow, especially in peak traffic hours. This calls for new and advanced solutions in traffic flow regulation and management. One approach towards optimisation is a transition from static to dynamic traffic light intervals, especially in spots where pedestrian crossing cause stops in road traffic flow. In this paper, we propose a smart pedestrian traffic light triggering mechanism that uses a Frequency-modulated continuous-wave (FMCW) radar for pedestrian detection. Compared to, for example, camera-surveillance systems, radars have advantages in the ability to reliably detect pedestrians in low-visibility conditions and in maintaining privacy. Objects within a radar’s detection range are represented in a point cloud structure, in which pedestrians form clusters where they lose all identifiable features. Pedestrian detection and tracking are completed with a group tracking (GTRACK) algorithm that we modified to run on an external processor and not integrated into the used FMCW radar itself. The proposed prototype has been tested in multiple scenarios, where we focused on removing the call button from a conventional pedestrian traffic light. The prototype responded correctly in practically all cases by triggering the change in traffic signalization only when pedestrians were standing in the pavement area directly in front of the zebra crossing.

• Language: English
• Keywords: FMCW radar, smart traffic light, smart cities, smart mobility, traffic flow optimisation, point cloud, group tracking
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: FE - Faculty of Electrical Engineering; FPP - Faculty of Maritime Studies and Transport
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Year: 2022
• Number of pages: 21 str.
• Numbering: Vol. 22, iss. 5, art. 1754
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-137271
• UDC: 007.52
• ISSN on article: 1424-8220
• DOI: 10.3390/s22051754
• COBISS.SI-ID: 98637315
• Publication date in RUL: 09.06.2022

NIMAC, Peter, KRPIČ, Andrej, BATAGELJ, Boštjan and GAMS, Andrej, 2022, Pedestrian traffic light control with crosswalk FMCW radar and group tracking algorithm. Sensors [online]. 2022. Vol. 22, no. 5,  1754. [Accessed 25 July 2025]. DOI 10.3390/s22051754. Retrieved from: https://repozitorij.uni-lj.si/IzpisGradiva.php?lang=eng&id=137271

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Sensors
• Shortened title: Sensors
• Publisher: MDPI
• ISSN: 1424-8220
• COBISS.SI-ID: 10176278

Licences

• License: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
• Description: This is the standard Creative Commons license that gives others maximum freedom to do what they want with the work as long as they credit the author.
• Licensing start date: 01.03.2022

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Keywords: radar FMCW, pametni semafor, pametna mesta, pametna mobilnost, optimizacija prometnega toka, oblak točk, skupinsko sledenje