NXP Powers Sustainable Solution for Gridlock: Green4TransPORT

Modern cars with Advanced Driving Assisted Systems (ADAS) are growing more intelligent with every generation. Loaded with sensors and massive processing capacity, linked to the cloud and backed by edge processing, vehicles are getting smarter than the cities they drive through. How do we address this when traditional infrastructure has been essentially stuck since the roads were laid? In Hamburg, Germany, they’re doing it with intelligent transportation systems, vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communication and the help of NXP.

Green4TransPORT (G4T) is an innovative project that started in Hamburg to show the practical value of intelligent traffic infrastructure, aimed at improving traffic flow and reducing emissions around the busy Kattwyk Bridge area. Working with the Hamburg Port Authority (HPA), Siemens and Technolution, NXP was the technical project lead from the project’s inception. Our Hamburg team designed the system architecture, security and privacy systems.

Talking Traffic

Two sets of Siemens traffic controller lights were fitted with ESCoS (Road Side Units, also from Siemens), which can communicate with FlowRadar (onboard unit) provided by Technolution fitted inside the cabins of the 50 trucks in the trial. The two-way communication from RSU to/from OBU uses the Intelligent Transport System (ITS) G5 standard IEEE 802.11p, specifically for transport.

Keep Trucking

It means that truck drivers can request a priority at upcoming traffic crossings, with the RSU replying and sending a “countdown” to the next green light as well as speed advice. This remarkable Green Light Optimized Speed Advisory (GLOSA) innovation means that heavy trucks can get priority and timing info, clearing crossings sooner and reducing congestion. Furthermore, the decrease in acceleration/deceleration needed (thanks to a “straight-through” drive) increases driving efficiency and reduces emissions in the city.

Taking It to the Bridge

In the latter part of 2020, the G4T team reached a major milestone, concluding the successful testing of the G4T system with positive results for all the planned deliverables: GLOSA and priority for heavy trucks. Since then, a two-month System Integration Test (SIT), and a System Acceptance Test (SAT) have successfully taken place. A pilot phase is now underway involving around 50 OBU-equipped heavy trucks, which is set to last six months.

Reducing Crawl

As the Hamburg Port Authority has shown, Green4TransPORT is an effective way to reduce the traffic crawl in city streets. So, next time you’re sightseeing in Hamburg and you see a truck driver smiling, chances are they have just heard some good news from a traffic light, thanks to some smart-world thinking from NXP.

Watch a cool demonstration video with Chief Technology Officer, Lars Reger, at the Kattwyk Bridge.