scats

SCATS, or Sydney Coordinated Adaptive Traffic System, is an adaptive traffic signal control system that optimizes the timing of signals across a network. By coordinating signals along arterial corridors and urban areas, SCATS aims to improve traffic flow, reduce delays, and lessen stop-and-go driving.

Originating in New South Wales, Australia, SCATS was developed by the state roads authority in the 1970s to enable centralized monitoring and adaptive control of signal timings. It later expanded to other jurisdictions and is used in various forms around the world.

Operation: The system uses detectors, typically inductive loops, to collect traffic data such as vehicle presence and flow. A central controller analyzes the data and continuously adjusts cycle length, green splits, and intergreen offsets to maintain flow and progression. Operators can set objectives and constraints, and the system can switch between plans as conditions change.

Deployment and scope: SCATS is deployed in many urban networks, especially in Australia, but also in other countries. It is implemented as a networked framework that connects local controllers to a central monitoring system, enabling dynamic adjustments and performance reporting.

Benefits and considerations: Advocates point to reduced travel times, fewer stops, lower emissions, and improved reliability. Critics note complexity, calibration needs, and maintenance costs, and that performance gains depend on detector quality, traffic patterns, and the proper design of signal plans.

See also: Adaptive traffic control system, SCOOT, STARS.