An Overview of Image processing for traffic applications

Abstract

The frequent traffic jams at major junctions call for an efficient traffic management system in place. The resulting wastage of time and increase in pollution levels can be eliminated on a city-wide scale by these systems. In this paper we present an overview of image processing and analysis tools used in these applications and we relate these tools with complete systems developed for specific traffic applications. More specifically, we categorize processing methods based on their input data as feature-driven, area-driven, or model-based and the domain of processing as spatial or temporal frames.The image sequences from a camera are analyzed using various edge detection and object counting methods to obtain the most efficient technique. Subsequently, the number of vehicles at the intersection is evaluated and traffic is efficiently managed. The paper also proposes to implement a real-time emergency vehicle detection system. In case an emergency vehicle is detected, the lane is given priority over all the others.