Intelligent traffic systems (also known as intelligent transport systems) involve advanced traffic control through real-time data entry and interactive communication with drivers to make the best and most efficient use of transport systems. . Transportation in big cities like Tokyo, London, Paris, New York and many more around the world has been a problem for more than a decade. With a gigantic number of cars as the main source of mobility, traffic jams are inevitable. On narrower roads, the high load can cause very slow moving traffic or, in extreme cases, static traffic.

To deal with these traffic problems and provide drivers with the best experience, intelligent systems have been designed. These systems have been deployed around the world, particularly on congested highways and high-load urban streets. ITS offers traffic control centers with real-time data and traffic and load statistics that can include high-quality video surveillance. They also interact with drivers, providing them with valuable information and guiding them to routes with minimal traffic load to facilitate travel. At peak times, few elite systems also demonstrate the extra lane to increase traffic speed and reduce load.

Intelligent traffic systems can also guide drivers in low visibility conditions, such as fog. In some of the ITS deployed, the roads are ‘lit’ to show the way and avoid mishaps. To eliminate wasted time at toll stations, ITS systems also offer pay-per-use services at many toll stations. Here a special tag is read on the car that identifies the passing vehicle and the toll fee is automatically billed online. Similarly, drivers who may violate traffic rules can also be identified by a function that takes the photo of the car, particularly targeting the driver and license plate in the event of a traffic violation, such as breaking the red light.

All these functions and features of intelligent traffic systems depend on a continuous and heavy exchange of data between the control center and the roads. Copper cables and other old technologies could not provide efficient and feasible communication over long distances. Any delay in communications could be very damaging, especially on highways where traffic is very fast. Fiber optics emerged as a favorable solution, and single-mode fiber optic cables have been widely used to support the large amount of communication required by intelligent transportation systems. Single-mode fiber optic offers very low attenuation over long distances along with unmatched high bandwidth, reliability, security, and speed.