TOPAS sets standards for multi-zone detectors

by Paul Hutton

Detectors are the eyes and ears of traffic control systems. Without the information that they provide optimising the movements of pedestrians and vehicles through our road networks would be well-nigh impossible. Their importance is recognised by the recent TTF GLF awards, one objective of which was to ensure that detection is working effectively at crossings and junctions.

As with many areas of our lives, technology has advanced and detectors that simultaneously monitor multiple zones or track multiple objects are part of the toolkit for designers and traffic engineers.

As these began appearing on the market TOPAS started looking at how they could be integrated smoothly into existing traffic signal control systems. New detectors must provide traffic data to both support existing functionality and to support new methods of control. Two new TOPAS standards are in the later stages of development to expedite the adoption and interoperability of these detectors.

TOPAS has engaged with the sector, gathered a consensus view and started developing TOPAS 2545. This defines how detection data is transferred from the detector to the traffic signal controllers (and of course other roadside equipment that can benefit from knowing more about the vehicles and pedestrians on the network). A trial of TOPAS 2545 is scheduled to go live in December in Poole where implementations of the interface protocol are put through its paces.

Alongside this TOPAS is developing a second standard that defines how well a detector can respond to different objects in multiple zones of interest, e.g. responding to pedestrians on a crossing and approaching traffic on the carriageway in different areas of its view. A committee is working on TOPAS 2547 to define ways to assess detector performance and create a standardised test process. The performance bar is being set so that users can procure detectors that meet or exceed the standards required for current traffic control.

Together these two standards will allow the wealth of information from advanced detectors to be fed back to the signal controller and used for current and future traffic control functions.

Anyone wanting further information should contact TOPAS [email protected] in the first instance.