Intelligent traffic system to hit the road

China will build an intelligent transportation system by 2015 to tackle traffic congestion and save energy.

The government may prioritize the development of intelligent signals for public transportation in an effort to boost traffic efficiency, said Wu Zhongze, chairman of the China Intelligent Transportation Systems Association.

A transportation information platform will also be released so that the public can access data on latest traffic conditions, Wu said during the Internet of Things China 2013 Conference and Exhibition in Shanghai.

Experiments are being conducted to allow vehicles and transportation infrastructure to connect, said Yang Xiaoguang, head of ITS Research Center at Tongji University.

For instance, censors are being placed on buses that will tell the time of the next green light and provide a suggested speed for the bus to leave the station, Yang said.

Other measures to combat traffic jams include an electronic toll collection system and car pooling.