Written Reply by Minister for Transport S Iswaran to Parliamentary Question on Update on AI-Backed Smart Traffic Light Control System for Public Roads

Mr Murali Pillai asked the Minister for Transport whether the Ministry can provide an update on LTA's Cooperative and Unified Smart Traffic System (CRUISE) project involving the development of the next generation of a smart traffic light control system leveraging on artificial intelligence to deal with real-time traffic situations.

Reply by Minister for Transport S Iswaran: 

1.     Our current traffic light system is an adaptive system which can adjust traffic light timings based on traffic flow.

2.     The Land Transport Authority (LTA) has been working with A*STAR’s Institute for Infocomm Research (I2R) on the CoopeRative and UnIfied Smart Traffic SystEm (CRUISE) project. The project will trial the use of artificial intelligence and multi-sensor data integration across multiple traffic junctions, to achieve further efficiency in road network operations. If successful, this could form the basis of our next generation, smart traffic light control system.

3.     With laboratory simulation and controlled testing completed in 2020, LTA is now conducting trials along Corporation Road and Boon Lay Way to gather data. These trials had been planned to commence in end 2020, but the timelines were pushed back to May 2021 due to the impact of COVID-19.

4.     The project is still in its early research and development phase. The algorithms would have to be refined using collected data, before progressing to further controlled testing and expanded on-site trials. The project would also need to clear robust and rigorous testing to ensure safety and performance, before large scale implementation can be considered.