Episode 3: The Evolution of Traffic Lights: From Gas Lamps to AI Systems

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Imagine driving without traffic lights.

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Today, there are almost every

major intersection in America

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and most places around the world.

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But there was a time when they didn't

exist, so let's discover how they

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came to be what they are today.

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My name's Shaimond and this is, It

Started Somewhere, a podcast about

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the history of popular products,

places and things we know about, but

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may not know the story behind them.

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The world's first traffic light

was invented in London in: 1868

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British railway engineer named J.P.

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Knight.

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The streets of London will crowded

with horse-drawn carriages, pedestrians

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and the occasional early automobile,

and to put some order to this chaos,

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Knight introduce the traffic light.

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It was a tall pole with a revolving gas

lantern displaying red and green signals.

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It was installed at the busy intersection

of Bridge Street and Great George

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Street near the Houses of Parliament.

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Police officers manually operated

the signal, switching between red

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and green to control traffic flow.

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But a few weeks after its installation on

nd,: 1869

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signal to explode injuring the policeman

operating it and putting a halt to further

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traffic signal development in London.

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Fast forward to the early 20th

century, the rise of automobiles

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was creating chaos on city streets.

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Traffic accidents were becoming more

frequent and something needed to be done.

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In 1912, a police officer named Lester

Wire in Salt Lake City, Utah develop

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the first electric traffic light.

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But the first electric traffic

signal was actually installed

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in Cleveland, Ohio in 1914.

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The signal was designed by James Hodge

used red and green lights and was

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controlled by a police officer in a booth.

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The 1920s saw rapid advancement

in traffic light technology.

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In 1920, William Potts, a police officer

in Detroit, Michigan created the first

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four-way, three-color traffic light.

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This design introduced the amber yellow

light as a cautionary signal between

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red and green laying the foundation

for the modern traffic light system

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we know today.

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During this time, traffic lights begin

to be controlled by automatic timers

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eliminating the need for manual operation.

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This allowed for more consistent

and efficient traffic flow.

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In 1923, Garrett Morgan patented a

three-way traffic signal which was an

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improvement over the existing two-position

signals that will common at the time.

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Morgan was the first to apply for

and receive a us patent for a three

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position traffic signal device.

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Morgan signal included bells

to indicate changing directions

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and could be positioned at that

half-mast during low traffic periods.

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During the 1920s, traffic lights

spread quickly across the United

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States and then to Europe.

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Paris installed its first traffic light

in: 1923

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As traffic lights became more

common, the need for standardization

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became apparent and on March 30th,

: 1931

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Unification of Road Signals was

signed in Geneva, standardizing

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the three color red, yellow, green

traffic light system internationally.

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Now people all over the world

could experience the same traffic

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lighting system which improved

safety and cut down on fatalities.

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In 1952, Denver became one of

the first cities to implement.

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A computerized system for

traffic light control.

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This.

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This allowed for more sophisticated

traffic management based on traffic.

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Patterns and time of day.

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In 1967, Toronto became the first city to

use more advanced computers for vehicle.

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Detection and traffic signal control.

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This system could adjust signal

timing based on real time traffic

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conditions and was a precursor for the

smart traffic systems we see today.

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As we move into the late 20th and

early 21st centuries energy efficient

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led lights begin replacing traditional

incandescent bulbs offering better

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visibility and lower energy consumption.

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Pedestrian signals, countdown

timers and audio signals were

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added to be more inclusive and

enhanced safety for everyone.

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Now smart traffic signal

systems you sensors, cameras

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and artificial Intelligence to

optimize traffic flow in real time.

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They can adapt to changing traffic.

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conditions prioritize emergency vehicles.

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And even communicate

with connected vehicles.

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They're not just controlling.

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And traffic, the actively managing it.

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From gas lamps to AI powered systems,

the evolution of traffic lights

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reflects our ongoing quest to make

our roads safer and more efficient.

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The next time you're waiting.

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At a red light, take a moment

to appreciate the technology

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and rich history behind it.

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I'm Shaimond I'll catch you on the

next episode of It Started Somewhere.