London to Test 'Smart' Crosswalks

Pedestrians in London may soon be waiting to cross the street at "smart" crosswalks equipped with sensors and cameras.

The city recently announced plans to test out the new crosswalks at London intersections this summer.

The system, called Pedestrian Split Cycle Offset Optimisation Technique (SCOOT) uses cameras to figure out how many people are waiting to cross the street and adjusts traffic signals accordingly. So if there is a large crowd waiting, for example, the signal to walk will last longer, giving the crowd more time to cross the street. Read more...