With road trips and domestic travel set to boom this summer, everyone is anticipating to see record levels of people on the road in 2022. While traffic jams seem inevitable in response to pent-up travel demand, a new machine-learning and artificial intelligence-based technology, comprised of a network of video and radar sensors, is proposing a solution to traffic congestion. When traffic management company NoTraffic realized that the traffic light technology used today is severely outdated, it wanted to see if there was a better way of doing things -- starting by combining the current hardware with a smarter software platform. NoTraffic's new technology system is currently being sold to local governments and their departments of transportation, as they work with traffic engineers in the area to address specific needs of intersections and provide oversight to adjust visual meteorological condition algorithms as needed. The company is privately held and does not disclose financials.

Autonomous traffic management platform NoTraffic has raised a $17.5 million funding round led by former Uber executive Lars Fjeldsoe-Nielsen. Fjeldsoe-Nielsen's Nielsen Ventures, as well as VEKTOR Partners, led the Series A round, with participation from Grove Ventures, Menora Mivtachim Group, Meitav Dash and existing investors lool ventures, Next Gear Ventures and North First Ventures. Founded in 2017, NoTraffic uses artificial intelligence to modernize traffic management and save cities on infrastructure and traffic management costs. NoTraffic's real-time, plug-and-play platform identifies, categorizes and tracks all road users, including passenger and non-passenger vehicles, bikes, e-scooters, buses and pedestrians, giving city planners more insight and control over their traffic infrastructure. The technology also helps upgrade and future-proof traffic infrastructure to support the rise of autonomous vehicles and other shifts in digital mobility.

How often have you cursed out a traffic light that took forever to change? Or the lights on a long stretch of road made you stop at every cross street, just when you felt you might actually make it to work on time? Take heart: Less painful commutes may be ahead, with advanced electronic control systems that apply artificial intelligence to the task of keeping traffic moving. The benefits promised are more than just tamping down some road rage. Less time stuck in traffic, multiplied by many thousands of commuters, can lead to less fuel burned and less carbon emitted.

Smart traffic lights may make life easier for drivers in Phoenix. Here in LA, where traffic is now picking up again despite the ongoing pandemic, I can safely say we're monitoring the situation closely. The new effort is the brainchild (naturally) of a California-based company called NoTraffic. The rollout, which begins today, will take place at a few key intersections in order to improve traffic flow and reduce vehicle and pedestrian delays by taking the system off of a timer-based model and coordinate the lights based on actual demand. In some deployments, the company has seen up to 40% reduction in vehicle delay time.