‘Connected Traffic Cloud’ technology can help police reduce accidents

BARCELONA — Jordan can reduce road accidents and help motorists avoid traffic jams by adopting a technology that sends real-time data from cars to traffic police, experts said Tuesday. 

Through the technology, Internet-connected cars can automatically send real-time data to the Central Traffic Department and inform them in case of slippery roads or traffic jams ahead, which will help police send information to motorists on GPS systems of alternate routes to take. 

“We are willing to work with Jordan on this technology, which can be easily applied,” Sander Maas, a representative of Swedish telecom giant Ericsson, told The Jordan Times on the sidelines of the 2015 Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. 

The system is already implemented in many EU countries and in the near future it will expand to many countries in the Middle East, Maas said. 

“Many automobile companies such as BMW, Audi, Volvo and others are making cars with sensors that can be connected to the Internet. It needs the interest of traffic authorities and good broadband connection.”

Jawad Abbassi, chairman of the ICT Association of Jordan (int@j), said this technology will help reduce road deaths in Jordan, where 668 people died and 14,790 were injured in 102,441 traffic accidents last year, according to official figures. 

“Our government and traffic authorities need to adopt such a technology as it helps reduce costs, accidents and traffic jams, which is a big problem in Jordan,” Abbassi said over the phone. 

“It is also very easy to launch as Jordan just introduced fourth generation services. Such a technology requires large capacities and speeds, and 4G helps a lot,” he added. 

“We need these solutions and the infrastructure in Jordan is sufficiently advanced,” Abbassi said. 

Some motorists said they would use the service if it saves time. 

“As a salesman, I drive five to seven hours a day. I get stuck in traffic jams most of the time and it is difficult to find parking space,” Mohammad Nasser, who works at an air conditioning company, told The Jordan Times over the phone. 

“I will certainly use any technology that helps me get to where I want to go faster. Avoiding traffic and knowing where there is congestion ahead helps a lot,” Nasser added. 

Sahar Helo, a teacher of English at a private school, agreed. 

“If there is a system that notifies me of icy roads ahead, dangerous cliffs or even construction work on streets it will make driving safer,” Helo said.

The technology, called Connected Traffic Cloud, is a managed cloud platform that enables two-way sharing of data between connected vehicles and road traffic authorities. 

Road vehicles are responsible for 1.24 million fatalities every year, according to the most recent data from the World Health Organisation. The figure is expected to reach 2.4 million a year in 2030, according to the organisation.