Smart city: automated roadwork checks and forecasts congestion in the cloud using a sensor-based beacon.

• Agile development: design, field testing and series development within one year.

• Early field testing during the prototype stage confirms acceptance and added value of the solution.

• Business consulting and implementation enable further business potential.

CM1 is contributing to the smart city by providing a digital beacon with automated, extremely precise and augmented RTK (real-time kinematic) GPS tracking and visualisation in the cloud. The goal: municipalities, cities, roadworks operators and drivers save time and money through features such as energy, operating state and error management. The IoT connection enables congestion forecasts for roadworks, cities and regions along with automatic monitoring of traffic diversions and safety measures, eliminating the need for manual inspection journeys.

As part of an agile end-to-end process, Zühlke developed sensors and edge electronics, created an interface to the AWS Cloud and implemented the desired features and all necessary AWS Cloud components, such as AWS IoT Core, AWS Lambda and Amazon Relational Database Service. All edge components, including Amazon FreeRTOS, were installed with protection in a standard commercial warning lamp. The team used field testing at the prototype stage to confirm acceptance among (end) customers and the added value of the smart connected solution before investments were made in series development.

The beacons work independently and reliably to provide real-time data even under the harshest conditions. The data is then visualised in the AWS cloud or forwarded to subsequent IT systems. Tracking is even possible in urban canyons. Thanks to the agile development and multi-disciplinary expertise at hand, CM1 and Zühlke were able to carry out the project in twelve months, paving the way for further business potential in the area of traffic and infrastructure.