Indra implements its intelligent technology for traffic management in Medellín

The technology multinational Indra is developing for the second most important city in Colombia, Medellín, a comprehensive system for traffic management that will reduce traffic congestion and its costs, minimize polluting emissions and promote more efficient and ecological modes of transport.

The Spanish multinational Indra A contract has been awarded with UNE Epm Telecomunicaciones and XM subsidiary ISA, the companies that manage traffic in the city of Medellín, to implement a new integrated traffic control system and intelligent traffic systems (ITS) in the Colombian city. The solution, based on Indra's Hermes system, will allow continuous monitoring of traffic evolution and real-time monitoring of the different control subsystems. By collecting current and historical data, it will also facilitate the analysis and consolidation of information for decision-making on mobility.. Thus, will make it possible to increase security, optimize vehicle flow and reduce circulation times, costs and environmental impact.

The project, which has UNE as its technological leader, one of the largest telecommunications operators in the country and pioneer in the design and implementation of solutions for digital cities, includes the design, installation and commissioning of closed circuit television systems (CCTV); support systems for traffic light network plans (ARS) and variable messaging panels. Thanks to these systems, XM Traffic Control Center operators will be able to have different traffic data, visualize the state of road traffic in real time 48 strategic points of the city and make decisions that improve mobility in these areas. For your part, drivers will have information about traffic conditions, possible incidents, congestion, etc.

Indra's solution will also be integrated with other external systems of the city, where the UNE operator is also a technological partner, like the emergency center, the vehicle monitoring system of the traffic agents of the Ministry of Transportation and Transit of Medellín, the traffic light center, the infringement detection system and the monitoring of collective public transport, inter alia. So, Medellín will have the traffic control center in Colombia with the largest number of integrated systems under a single platform that supports decision-making on mobility.

The XM Ally, ISA subsidiary, has been the operator of the Colombian National Interconnected System for more than 40 years and administrator of the Wholesale Energy Market for 17 years. Its great track record in the energy sector makes it the most suitable company to operate the Medellín Traffic Control Center. So, XM, through intelligent management of electrical systems, transit and urban transportation, or control of large highways and roads, allows timely decision making, which provides reliability and efficiency to the system, making the operation more efficient.

Pioneering management system for intermodal public transport

The technology company Indra has won two contracts for the Medellín Metro, will allow this city to have a unique intermodal public transportation system in Colombia, that will facilitate the management and combined use of metro and bus. For this, Indra is implementing an Operation Assistance System for Metroplús, the BRT public bus fleet (Bus Rapid Transit) of the city, which will be integrated with Indra's Da Vinci system, which manages Metro train traffic from 2008.

The objective is to integrate the operation of the trains with the bus system so that the vehicles are treated in a unified manner., placing special emphasis on interconnection or link stations between lines. The incorporation of future trams is even planned. So, It will be possible to manage the transportation service in a more efficient way., offer the highest quality to travelers and encourage the use of public transport, in a city in which the growth of the automobile fleet negatively impacts mobility.

Efficient and real-time management

The Exploitation Assistance System (SAE) of Indra already manages 20 buses and it is expected that by the end of this year the fleet will have 48 managed buses. This tool, based on location technologies (GPS), geographic information system (GIS) and mobile communications (3,5G/GSM/GPRS), provides the control center with real-time information about the vehicles and thus, improves management and speeds up decision-making in the event of any incident, need for reinforcements, etc.

The solution includes a passenger counting system based on closed circuit television in buses (CCTV), which records the number of passengers both on the way up and down and makes it possible to know the occupancy to avoid exceeding the maximum capacity allowed., request reinforcement vehicles in demand peaks or carry out mobility studies in this means of transport.

Indra is also implementing the technology to 21 Metroplus stations, which consists of an indoor traveler information system using public address systems and TFT screens, as well as access control systems through turnstiles and validators, based on the Open Cívica software developed by the company. Besides, a pilot is being carried out with 13 recharge machines for Cívica smart cards, payment method for Metro and Metroplús.

All these technologies result in an improvement in the quality of public service and the information offered to users., as well as greater knowledge of the service and demand by Metro de Medellín.