Designing A Better Traffic Light

The goal of this project is to design a traffic light that addresses environmental concerns, accelerates driving times, and reduces traffic light production costs. Current traffic lights are deemed inefficient, costly, and environmentally harmful based on my research. In response, my engineering project aims to mitigate and solve these issues.

Commencing the project, I envisioned a traffic light model meeting specific design criteria. I utilized the online 3D design software Onshape for the initial design. Using an Arduino microcontroller, an ultrasonic sensor, and a servo, I prototyped the effectiveness of sonar imaging to gather car data. Once confirmed, I proceeded to build individual modules.

Creating a base for each module, I 3D printed a traffic light base using CAD models. Integrating the tested components, I developed a tangible version of the design with sonar imaging. For the software aspect, I used C++ in the Arduino IDE to program the traffic light to sweep a servo while scanning for abnormalities in distance to recognize a car.

Enhancing simulation accuracy, I constructed a sonar sensor to detect the length of each traffic line. This module replicated traffic light components without the LEDs. To validate the build, I ran simulations and compared the results to data from current traffic lights. Maintaining accuracy, I retested five times and averaged the results. Through three code variations, I reduced total simulation and illumination time to an average of 2.164 seconds, compared to the current 3.746-second interval. The project cost remained under my $100 budget, reaching $70.

Based on the gathered data, I successfully reduced the time taken to scan for cars, decreasing both wait times and associated pollution. Additionally, I lowered the cost from $500,000 to a mere $70. The purpose of this engineering project was achieved by designing a traffic light that is more environmentally friendly, efficient for drivers, and cost-effective for those funding them, effectively solving the identified problems in our current traffic system.