A traffic signal control system through anonymous messages

This work proposes a dynamic and flexible approach to guide traffic congestion based on anonymous messages delivered by the vehicles in the proximity of a crossroad. The system uses real-time traffic information to determine the state of the traffic flows at a signalized intersection in order to schedule the traffic lights efficiently. A vehicle, modeled as automaton, securely disseminate and exchange its internal state with a trusted traffic authority in a wireless communication. A roadside unit, installed at the road intersection, collects the traffic information, verifies the information, and uses a phase-based control algorithm to optimize the amount of the vehicles entering the intersection. The new approach has been evaluated through simulation under light and heavy traffic conditions, and the results compared with fixed-time traffic signal control and Webster's method.