Bluetooth is good for more than silly headsets and wireless speakers. The city of Calgary, Alberta, is using the technology to give drivers real-time information about travel time during their commute.
The Travel Time Information System along Calgary’s Deerfoot Trail anonymously collects Bluetooth signals from mobile phones, headsets and other devices to estimate travel times and gauge congestion. Travel times are then displayed on electronic signs along the roadway.
All Bluetooth devices contain a unique ID code. According city officials, the Travel Time Information System encrypts and monitors Bluetooth signals without tracking other information and gathers MAC addresses only. The system reads the Bluetooth codes at 15 sensor points along Deerfoot Trail.
A central server at the city’s traffic management center collects the data from 15 sensors and sends traffic info to seven roadside displays. Algorithms sift out signals from drivers, pedestrians and other sources near, but not on, Deerfoot Trail to minimize erroneous data.
The city found the system consistently accurate during a trial in 2010, and it has grown more precise as more people use Bluetooth devices. “Drivers will be able to make informed route planning choices in real time,” Gord Elenko, manager of Calgary’s road traffic division, told Phsy.org. “We believe it will eventually help reduce congestion and decrease driver frustration.”
The system operates during peak travel times — from 6:30 a.m. until 6:30 p.m. — Monday through Friday. After assessing the reliability of the system by monitoring travel times during rush hour, Calgary plans to extend the hours of operation.
The city spent about $400,000 on the system and plans to expand it to include other areas as funding becomes available. It hopes to eventually install 26 Bluetooth detection systems on major commuter routes citywide.
Bluetooth Tracking Can Predict the Length of Your Commute Hell
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Bluetooth Tracking Can Predict the Length of Your Commute Hell
