Below is the press release from GRIDSMART Technologies, Inc.

Today in Knoxville, Mayor Madeline Rogero and GRIDSMART Technologies, Inc. Founder and CEO Bill Malkes, cut the ribbon to finalize the installation of the first traffic management infrastructure for the proposed regional testbed that will allow companies to research connected and self-driving vehicles as well as Smart City technologies. The infrastructure includes the first official deployment of the company’s new STREETSMART™ Wi-Fi traffic time collection devices that will give traffic managers the ability to study and reduce congestion from West Towne Mall to Bearden Hill.

Last October, Mayor Rogero met with national intelligent transportation industry leaders at INTERSECT16, an annual high-tech transportation program held at the campus of GRIDSMART Technologies, Inc., to discuss the viability of Knoxville becoming a testbed. A key take away from that session was the importance of establishing additional infrastructure in the Knoxville area to further position the region as a traffic technology leader.

“Today’s installation puts Knoxville on a path to expand our intelligent transportation capabilities as we look to create a testbed for this region. Not only could a testbed bring high-tech jobs to the area, but it could also help change the face of transportation as we know it,” said Mayor Rogero. “While there is still more exploration needed to become a connected and autonomous vehicle testbed, we are excited that this new STREETSMART technology will reduce congestion, giving our residents more time with their families and less time stuck in traffic.”

As a commitment to the testbed initiative and to its hometown, GRIDSMART Technologies, Inc. is donating new travel time and congestion management devices, STREETSMART, as well as upgrading the existing GRIDSMART System intersection management equipment. The new six-intersection traffic management area will provide real-time, comprehensive travel times, congestion mapping and traffic count data, allowing the city to study and better manage travel trends in all major intersections from West Towne Mall to Bearden Hill, potentially reducing congestion and positioning Knoxville as a progressive, transportation minded city.

These systems will be located in the following areas:

MALL AREA
• Kingston Pike and South Northshore Drive (STREETSMART and GRIDSMART System)
• Kingston Pike and Papermill Drive Northwest (STREETSMART)
• Kingston Pike and Morell Road (STREETSMART and GRIDSMART System)

NEIGHBORHOOD AREA
• Middlebrook Pike and Vanosdale Road (STREETSMART)
• Middlebrook Pike and East Weisgarber Road (STREETSMART)
• East Weisgarber Road and I-40 (STREETSMART)

GRIDSMART Technologies, Inc., headquartered in Knoxville, is widely known throughout the intelligent transportation industry as the creator of the world’s only single camera solution for intersection actuation, traffic data collection, and situational awareness that eliminates the need for multiple cameras and reduces cost.

As part of this initiative, the company upgraded two of their exisiting intersection management GRIDSMART Systems with updated iconic Bell Cameras and added six of their newest STREETSMART Wi-Fi traffic-time collection devices.

GRIDSMART Technologies, Inc.’s new STREETSMART traffic-timing collection devices use Wi-Fi signals generated in vehicles to track them as they advance through multiple devices along a city street, building data on origin destination, speed and congestion. The system archives and sends the data through the cloud, giving traffic managers a high-level overview of traffic patterns, time-stamped travel times, trouble areas as well as those caused by seasonal changes so that they can study the information over time or take immediate action to relieve congestion. It also ensures driver privacy as all of the information is collected anonymously.

STREETSMART is a major improvement over legacy Bluetooth detection devices, as Bluetooth’s detection range is typically about 50 ft. and is limited depending on its placement near the roadway. With Wi-FI detection, the city can now capture signals coming from vehicles up to a half-mile away giving traffic managers greater accuracy. The STREETSMART device is compact, about the size of a cigar box, and can be put anywhere on an operational grid within a city.

Paired with GRIDSMART System’s iconic Bell Cameras with horizon to horizon views of intersections, it allows traffic managers to detect traffic congestion immediately allowing them to send alerts, change traffic signal timing and push overhead alternate routes, before major problems occur.

“Our products are designed to be simple, flexible and transparent. They’re easy to install and provide rich data to help traffic managers ease congestion on the roadway,” said GRIDSMART Technologies, Inc. Founder and CEO Bill Malkes. “We’re thrilled to be the first company to participate with the City of Knoxville on this testbed initiative. Connected and autonomous vehicles, Smart Cities, and the Internet of Everything are imminent and will drive growth. Our company is positioned to be at the forefront of these movements, and we want to help our home town become a leader in these areas.”

Learn more about GRIDSMART at www.gridsmart.com and STREETSMART at www.gridsmart.com/products/streetsmart.