Applying IoT and Swarm Algorithms to Reduce Traffic Congestion

Southern California recently experienced a 55-hour closure of the 91 Freeway, resulting in a 6-mile backup that intersected State Route 71 and Interstate 15. The closure was called the "Coronageddon" (it ran through the heart of Corona). Just a few years ago a big closure of Highway 405, dubbed "Carmageddon," resulted in a traffic jam that reached immense proportions and made national news. These are extreme instances of massive traffic congestion, but more commonly we all deal with daily traffic jams as people get to work and school, the lunch rush hour, and the all-too-familiar and stressful evening commute. Traffic patterns are studied by cities, but most use a low tech approach.