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Cape Town Considers AI Traffic Lights to Ease Congestion

Cape Town Considers AI Traffic Lights to Ease Congestion
Cape Town Considers AI Traffic Lights to Ease Congestion. Image for illustration purposes only, generated with AI.

The city is exploring AI-powered traffic management to reduce congestion at its 1,750 intersections. Current systems rely on fixed timers, but AI could cut travel times and emissions by adapting to real-time traffic.

Mayoral Committee Member for Urban Mobility Rob Quintas said Cape Town is studying global models, including Google’s Project Greenlight, which reduces stops by 30%. About 25% of intersections already use adaptive SCOOT technology, but AI could offer further improvements.

If adopted, the system would be part of broader efforts to reduce car dependency, alongside MyCiTi bus expansions and rail upgrades.