Trends in Japan - CScout Japan Blog » Inside the Tokyo Traffic Control Center

Inside the Tokyo Traffic Control Center

Written by: Michael Keferl on December 31, 2007 at 10:00 am | In Technology & Gadget Trends |

Tokyo traffic can be crazy. Perhaps not as crazy as it is frustrating, but it’s certainly a lot easier to get through the mess on a Monkey rather than in a car.

However, despite our gripes about traffic lights that seem very poorly timed, it turns out that the entire system is much more centralized than we could have imagined.

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We recently had the opportunity to visit the Tokyo Traffic Control Center and get an in-depth look at how traffic operates in Tokyo minute-by-minute. Staffed by several officials working 24-hour shifts, Tokyo’s traffic landscape is broadcast on a towering bank of integrated monitors.

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From left to right, the Expressway Display Board, Central Display Board, and Information Display Board paint a picture of the immediate traffic situation by compiling information from cameras, helicopters, police, citizen reports, and over 17,000 vehicle detectors all around the city.

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Seated in the middle is the Commander of the Control Center, with operators on the sides to collect information. The Information Board on the far right can display anything from handwritten notes to additional maps brought up on the computers.

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The Central Display Board highlights 1,000 intersections, and has 15,154 traffic signals in the system. When traffic jams are detected or reported, the affected area turns from green to red. It also displays traffic accidents and closed streets.

Information is passed on to Tokyoites live through radio reports and 300 traffic information boards on the roadways. To directly influence traffic, it’s possible to manually adjust the signal intervals for 7,000 of the traffic lights, and communicate directly with traffic officers in the field.

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Tokyo may not be the most traffic-friendly place in the world, but it’s not nearly as bad as what we’ve seen elsewhere. It’s our opinion that much has been accomplished through the use of vehicle detectors to monitor flow, and we discussed future developments with officials, such as integrating the detectors with car navigational systems to better inform drivers.

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Tags: Automotive
Category: Technology & Gadget Trends
Other categories: Marketing & Ad Trends, Fashion & Lifestyle Trends

23 Comments »

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Being “of an age”, I remember working with our local Emergency Measures Organization (in a coastal city) to implement very early internet functionality … “packet radio”. We were the local ham radio club, and we knew of what we spoke.

On twitter just now, having this article propped up, I mentioned to a writer in an un-named tech site *RWW!* that “support services is where we will see the real [stuff] … real problems, real needs, real logistical considerations, real physics > real solutions.”

For the good of all sentient beings I trust you will continue your reporting, and that those who toil to secure our well-being continue to receive our support. (Read: civic infrastructure mustRPTmust receive the attention it so /richly/ deserves.

__{*}__

–bentrem

Comment by Ben Tremblay — December 31, 2007 #
Love this post. Is it hard to get in for this tour, I would love to see it. thank you for posting the great photos and description.

Comment by debbie — December 31, 2007 #
That main display is huge! It looks NASA worthy to me. I’d like to see if there are other cities who have traffic control systems that look this sophisticated or better.

Comment by Sam — December 31, 2007 #
Take a Peek Inside the Tokyo Traffic Center…

CScout Japan recently had the chance to check out Tokyo’s Traffic Center, where a bunch of people work 24-hour shifts and try to stop the city from grinding to a halt. Cameras, helicopters, 17,000 vehicle detectors, as well as reports……

Trackback by Gizmodo — December 31, 2007 #
Wow! this rocks! thanks so much for sharing your visit to the tokyo traffic control center–very impressive. go tokyo! i hope that each major city in the world has something or is working toward something comparable.

Comment by Mischa — December 31, 2007 #
What happens when Godzilla attacks?

Comment by Teknojunkie — January 1, 2008 #
Step Inside: The Tokyo Traffic Conrol Center…

Though these images may look as if they’ve been lifted wholly from the NORAD scenes in the 1980’s classic…

Trackback by Winding Road — January 1, 2008 #
When Godzilla attacks: BSOD!

Comment by drdoom — January 1, 2008 #
Kind of reminds me of that old ’70s movie “The Taking of Pelham 1-2-3″ with Walter Matthau. There’s a scene in the master control room for the NYC subway system, and a group from Tokyo’s mass transit authority visits to learn how they can duplicate the electronic wall maps and other features.

Now, I am sure large American cities could use some sort of coordinated traffic control system like Tokyo’s TCC. If there is something like this in my local metropolis, Boston, I haven’t heard about it …

Comment by Ian Lamont — January 1, 2008 #
Take a Peek Inside the Tokyo Traffic Center…

CScout Japan recently had the chance to check out Tokyo's Traffic Center, where a bunch of people…

Trackback by Tech|noob — January 1, 2008 #
Whoa. That’s crazy. Looks like circuit board schematics.

Comment by Izabeal DaJinn — January 1, 2008 #
It’s cool to see a system so organised. Here in europe we have TMC which is broadcast to most GPS devices and updates routes based on the traffic. it should be global imo.

Happy new year.

Comment by TomTom — January 1, 2008 #
Don’t get too excited about this — it’s a case of the reality being less than the appearance. The fancy display board lets the operators see how bad the conditions are, but they don’t actually adjust the signals to make things better. When I had the tour of this center and asked how they were going to respond to a very badly congested situation we saw on the display, the answer was that they depended on the radio and TV station people watching the display to inform the public that conditions were bad, so that they would stay away. Large cities in other countries (Los Angeles, London, Sydney) are taking more sophisticated approaches to this, even if their graphical displays aren’t as sexy.

Comment by Steve — January 2, 2008 #
Inside The Tokyo Traffic Control NOC…

CScout Trends in Japan provides a look inside the NOC for the Tokyo Traffic Center….

Trackback by Data Center Knowledge — January 3, 2008 #
Another ATMS (Advanced Traffic Management System) here @ Houston TranStar - 1400 traffic signals and hundreds of cameras to control the Houston freeways in real-time.

Comment by TikiRobot — January 3, 2008 #
Teknojunkie - now that’s hilarious.

Comment by Craig — January 3, 2008 #
Are any systems in the US even close to this?

Comment by Rodney — January 3, 2008 #
Kindly can some let me know who were the designers and consultants for the tokyo traffic control center or from where will i get information about it?

Comment by Hasan — April 3, 2008 #
[...] More information on the TSD project is available in Shutoko’s Smart Shinbun website. Related Post: Inside the Tokyo Traffic Control Center. [...]

Pingback by Trends in Japan » Tokyo Smart Driver encourages safe and relaxing road life — April 28, 2008 #
Kindly can some let me know who were the designers and consultants for the tokyo traffic control center or from where will i get information about it?

Comment by ashish — June 4, 2008 #
eu adeniro os japao e as suas tequinologi

Comment by jader — August 6, 2008 #
[...] Unfortunately Tokyo has the serious traffic issues you would expect from such a densely populated city. Fortunately they are working towards improving that (the traffic situation that is). Kilian-Nakamura blog [...]

Pingback by Caution Optional » Blog Archive » Tokyo Traffic Command Center — August 8, 2008 #
O control do tráfico…

Chega a ponte de agosto e multiplícase o movemento de xente dun lado a outro por terra, mar e aire, un movemento que non sería posible sen as actuais tecnoloxías da comunicación.
A cadea británica BBC axúdanos a que sexamos conscientes da magnitu…

Trackback by tecnoloxia.org — August 14, 2008 #