After being nominated for the Green Globe Award at Intertraffic 2022, SWARCO X-LINE celebrates another success: the intelligent platform for environmentally friendly intersection controls complies with the new VDE specification “Interface for digital Signals and Sensors for Traffic Light Control Devices” and thus becomes an open system.
Modern, intelligent road traffic signalling systems drive the mobility of the future: they not only make it safer but also more (energy) efficient and environmentally friendly.
SWARCO X-LINE is SWARCO’s intelligent platform for environmentally friendly intersection control systems and controls traffic lights according to the concept of distributed, decentralised intelligence. The energy consumption of an entire intersection is now comparable to that of a single lamp in the past. System-wide energy optimisation is achieved by consistently utilising the efficiency of modern LEDs, replacing centralised monitoring with decentralised monitoring, and reducing the number of components required with a secure plug-in solution. It is much easier to install and configure than conventional approaches, with less construction work required and only 25 % of the copper needed comparing to conventional set-ups.
With the publication of the new VDE (Verband der Elektrotechnik Elektronik Informationstechnik e. V.) specification on 10 March 2022, the SWARCO X-LINE interface has now been disclosed. VDE SPEC 90013 “Interface for digital signals and sensors for traffic signal controllers” introduces an open, intelligent, digital interface for devices that are typically mounted on the signal mast. These can be safety-relevant LED signal heads and acoustic/tactile signal heads for intersection control as well as non-safety-relevant devices such as pushbuttons, sensors and actuators. The specification defines the communication parameters and the physical properties of the interface for the communication of traffic signal controllers with signalling and detection devices.
The specification and standardisation confirm: SWARCO X-LINE is market-ready and, in addition to the power savings, also offers significant added value in terms of maintainability, which is created by the communication to each unit. With the specification, customers receive investment security and do not run the risk of being tied to just one manufacturer. The component manufacturers, in turn, have less effort and lower risk in development, as they realise through the standardised interface that the technology used works.
Source: SWARCO
