Bus Priority Signal System: Collaborative Innovation between Industrial Panel PC and V2X Communication Protocols
In today's era of accelerated urbanization, traffic congestion has emerged as a critical bottleneck restricting urban development. Statistics show that the average commute time for residents in major Chinese cities has exceeded 45 minutes, with delays caused by waiting at traffic lights accounting for over 30% of this time. As a key technology to address this challenge, bus priority signal systems are undergoing a paradigm shift from "passive response" to "active collaboration" through the deep integration of industrial panel PCs and V2X communication protocols. This technological innovation has not only elevated bus punctuality rates above 90% but also redefined the boundaries of intelligent urban transportation.
Traditional bus priority signal systems primarily rely on RFID technology, deploying readers 50-100 meters from intersections to identify electronic tags on buses and trigger priority passage. While this approach achieves basic prioritization, it suffers from three major limitations: first, short identification distances cause system response delays; second, it only supports one-way communication between vehicles and traffic lights, lacking real-time traffic condition awareness; third, it lacks multi-vehicle coordination capabilities, often leading to secondary congestion at complex intersections.
The introduction of V2X communication technology has revolutionized this landscape. As the core protocol of the Internet of Vehicles, V2X enables comprehensive connectivity between vehicles, traffic signals, roadside units (RSUs), other vehicles, and pedestrians through dual-mode communication—PC5 direct communication and Uu cellular communication. Taking LTE-V2X technology as an example, its dedicated 5.9GHz frequency band supports beyond-line-of-sight communication over 300-1000 meters, with latency as low as 20ms and reliability reaching 99.99%, providing a foundation for real-time perception and decision-making in bus priority systems.
The industrial panel PC plays a pivotal role as the "neural center" in this architecture. Industrial controllers like the USR-EG628, equipped with a quad-core ARM Cortex-A53 processor and 1TOPS NPU computing power, can simultaneously process multi-source data from LiDAR, cameras, and V2X modules. In real-world testing on a BRT system in Shenzhen, the USR-EG628 reduced signal priority request response times from 1.2 seconds to 0.3 seconds and tripled system throughput.
The technological breakthroughs in bus priority signal systems are embodied in three innovative mechanisms:
The system achieves three-dimensional "vehicle-road-cloud" perception through V2X protocols: onboard OBUs (Onboard Units) continuously collect data such as speed, position, and passenger count; roadside RSUs deploy millimeter-wave radar and cameras for fused perception of intersection dynamics; edge computing nodes, powered by the USR-EG628's robust computing capabilities, process over 1000 V2X messages per second to generate a global traffic situation map. In a pilot project on Qiutao Road in Hangzhou, this architecture improved the system's accuracy in detecting non-motorized vehicles running red lights from 72% to 95%.
Unlike traditional fixed timing schemes, the system introduces a fuzzy logic control algorithm that dynamically calculates priority weights by considering 12 parameters, including bus punctuality, passenger volume, and delays to other vehicles. For instance, when a bus carrying 50 passengers is three minutes late, the system assigns it 2.3 times higher priority than an empty bus. Practical implementation in Suzhou Industrial Park demonstrated a 38% reduction in average bus delays, with only a 7% increase in delays for other vehicles.
Through V2V (vehicle-to-vehicle) communication, the system enables coordinated control of bus platoons. The lead vehicle shares control commands such as acceleration and steering angle in real-time via V2X modules, while following vehicles maintain a safe distance of 1-2 meters using the USR-EG628's precise synchronization capabilities. Tests conducted by Chengdu Bus Group revealed that platooning reduced energy consumption by 15% and improved road capacity by 25%.
The intelligent signal system based on V2X was deployed on the bus-only lane of Yan'an Road in Shanghai. When a bus is 500 meters from an intersection, its OBU sends a priority request to the RSU via a PC5 interface; edge computing nodes dynamically adjust green light durations based on real-time traffic flow. Data shows that this solution reduced the average number of bus stops from 4.2 to 1.8 per kilometer and increased operating speed by 22%.
In the Zhujiang New Town Tunnel in Guangzhou, the system integrates V2P (vehicle-to-pedestrian) functionality. When a pedestrian carrying a smartphone enters the tunnel, their location information is relayed to the bus OBU via roadside units; the USR-EG628's AI algorithm calculates collision risks in real-time, triggering audible and visual warnings and automatic braking. Field tests demonstrated a 60% reduction in accident rates within the tunnel.
In a pilot project in Beijing's Yizhuang Development Zone, the system optimizes charging strategies by obtaining real-time charging station status via V2X, combined with remaining bus battery levels and travel trajectories. The USR-EG628's edge computing capabilities limit energy prediction errors to within ±3%, increasing single-charge range by 18% and extending battery life by two years.
Despite significant progress, bus priority signal systems still face three major challenges:
V2X signals are susceptible to multipath interference in densely built-up areas. Solutions include enhancing signal gain using the USR-EG628's multi-antenna MIMO technology, deploying roadside micro-base stations for dynamic spectrum allocation, and introducing blockchain technology to ensure data immutability. Tests in Shenzhen's Qianhai Free Trade Zone showed that these measures reduced communication packet loss rates from 15% to 0.8%.
Currently, multiple V2X protocols coexist, including DSRC, LTE-V2X, and 5G NR-V2X. The industry is promoting the development of "tri-mode fusion" terminals; the USR-EG628 already supports dual-mode operation with DSRC and C-V2X and will achieve compatibility with all sub-6GHz frequency bands through software-defined radio (SDR) technology in the future.
The system generates over 10TB of sensitive data daily, including passenger trajectories and vehicle control commands. The USR-EG628 incorporates a national cryptographic SM4 encryption chip and dynamic key distribution mechanisms to resist man-in-the-middle and replay attacks. Certification by the National Information Security Evaluation Center confirmed its security level reaches EAL4+.
With the evolution of 5G-Advanced and 6G technologies, bus priority signal systems will expand in three dimensions:
By constructing digital twins of transportation systems, real-time algorithm simulation and parameter tuning become possible. The USR-EG628's open API interfaces already support integration with industrial simulation platforms like Unity3D, shortening algorithm iteration cycles from weeks to hours.
Leveraging 5G's low latency, the system will adopt a collaborative architecture of "cloud training-edge inference-vehicle execution." In the planning for Xiong'an New Area, bus priority decisions will be jointly made by roadside units and onboard controllers with latency controlled below 10ms.
Through V2X interconnection with subway and bike-sharing systems, a "door-to-door" intelligent travel network can be established. Pilot projects in Shanghai's Lingang New Area demonstrated that this model increased public transportation mode share from 41% to 63% while reducing private car usage by 28%.
In this transportation revolution, the fusion innovation of industrial panel PCs and V2X communication protocols is redefining the possibilities of urban mobility. From the stable operation of the USR-EG628 in extreme cold environments to the efficient collaboration of V2X in cross-border customs supervision warehouses, technological breakthroughs consistently revolve around the core objectives of "improving efficiency, ensuring safety, and enhancing adaptability." As every bus gains the ability to communicate in real-time with urban transportation systems and every traffic light change is based on global optimal decisions, we are witnessing the dawn of a smarter, more human-centric transportation era.
