Utah Using LiDAR to Help Traffic Flows 

Have you ever backed up or moved forward at a red light hoping to hit some sort of pressure plate that will make the light change? Maybe you have pressed the walk button multiple times while standing at an intersection hoping to get a walk sign?  

This is because there have been stories of local government using technology to make busy traffic flow better. One of the tasks of local government is to make the roads work and move traffic around the streets. Now the state of Utah is using new technology to do just that. 

The Same Technology That Can Look Through the Jungle 

ABC4 reports that UDOT has installed a new system that will do all these things. They are using LiDAR, which uses laser light to measure objects, to track certain busy intersections in the Salt Lake area. They will use this information to see where the traffic is busiest and change the length of the lights. 

This can possibly be done in real time. So, if there is someone going across a crosswalk and needs more time to get across, the light could stay red for extra time. This kind of technology could be a real game changer. If the tests go well, they will use it in more of the state. 

Read More: Unique Utah Tail Light Idea Could Revolutionize Traffic Flow

It is always worrisome when there are more cameras are being added to keep an eye on us, but they say it is just used to get information for safety and traffic flow. For privacy reasons, there is no information kept on individual drivers. 

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