Using AI to "rescue" traffic jams

Ho Chi Minh City can solve traffic congestion with simple technological solutions, from using AI to regulate traffic lights to integrating public transport systems.

Ho Chi Minh City has a large area, a large population and diverse traffic, but is often congested due to inadequate infrastructure. Therefore, there needs to be simple and immediately implementable solutions to solve this problem.

No more unreasonable waiting at red lights

I work in the central area of Ho Chi Minh City, every day when I go home from work during rush hour I have to face long traffic jams in the area of Nguyen Huu Canh - Ton Duc Thang street extending to Le Duan - Dinh Tien Hoang street... In this area, the traffic lights are often not suitable for reality. While people are lining up to wait for the green light on Ton Duc Thang street, in the opposite direction, Le Duan street is very empty of vehicles but the waiting time of the traffic lights is not adjusted or is not adjusted regularly.

This urban traffic picture also occurs in many other areas with traffic lights. At many traffic jams, to quickly clear the traffic, traffic police often have to coordinate manually or change the traffic control panels on the spot. Meanwhile, the simple solution to the above situations is that Ho Chi Minh City can apply AI technology (artificial intelligence) installed on all routes.

When applying AI in traffic, the system will analyze the routes that often have traffic flows into the city center and are prone to traffic jams. When the control center warns of a long traffic jam in an area, the AI system can automatically identify and adjust the red light time in one direction to reduce, while increasing the green light time in the other direction. This is a simple technology and the investment is not too expensive.

In the US, they often deploy mobile vehicles with electronic signs. When there is a traffic jam, the mobile vehicle immediately runs and places a sign, saying that if you follow this route, it will be 10 minutes slower, and if you follow another direction, it can save 10 minutes, for example… This is very simple, does not cost much, but helps to clear the traffic immediately. The US is so large that not every place has a fixed AI system installed, so they use the mobile vehicle solution to place signs.

Ho Chi Minh City has a traffic monitoring center with a camera system installed throughout the city. Thus, we can completely coordinate remotely based on actual traffic.

Recently, the Lao Dong Newspaper reported that people could lose hundreds of billions of dong each year by spending a few minutes doing procedures at the airport - from security checks, luggage screening to immigration procedures, including taking off shoes and belts. Combined with the long queues during traffic jams every day at intersections and crossroads because of unreasonable traffic lights, the cost to the economy is much greater.

In this case, the application of AI can help reduce traffic congestion. Even saving a few minutes waiting at red lights can benefit people and the economy.

Dùng AI — More and more people are using the metro as a means of transportation. Photo: BAO NGOC

Smart mobility, big cities reach out

To turn Ho Chi Minh City into a megacity with sustainable infrastructure development, improving the public transport system is a top priority, which can start with synchronous and smart solutions.

First of all, it is necessary to build a multi-purpose integrated payment card system. The metro line 1 card should be linked with all other public transport such as buses, river buses, taxis and technology cars. This card can also be integrated with student cards or pension cards to optimize convenience for people - a model that has been successfully applied in many countries.

Next, Ho Chi Minh City needs to effectively exploit the diverse network of rivers and canals by expanding the river bus system. The development of waterways not only serves the inner city but can also connect to Vung Tau, Binh Duong , and Can Gio areas, creating more convenient and convenient travel options.

At the same time, accelerating the expansion of the metro network and building a bus rapid transit (BRT) system is extremely urgent. A BRT system connecting the city center with the suburbs such as Can Gio and Cu Chi, along with the completion of Ring Roads 3 and 4, will help reduce traffic congestion and promote inter-regional connectivity. When traffic is convenient, satellite urban areas will develop, contributing to the decentralization of the population from the inner city area which is under a lot of pressure.

In addition, Ho Chi Minh City should take advantage of the existing railway system. Instead of waiting for the metro lines to be completed, investing in upgrading the inner-city and inter-regional railway lines will immediately provide an effective transportation option. This helps diversify the public transport system, bringing more options to people and significantly reducing the load on the roads.