Based on the success of the traffic control project for the city’s bus fleet, DCC and IBM Research..

Based on the
success of the traffic control project for the city’s bus fleet, DCC and IBM
Research are working together to find ways to further augment traffic control
in Dublin. “Our relationship with IBM is quite fluid–we offer them our
expertise about how the city operates, and their researchers use that input to
extract valuable insights from our Big Data,” says O’Brien. “Currently, the IBM
team is working on ways to integrate data from rain and flood gauges into the
traffic control solution–alerting controllers to potential hazards presented by
extreme weather conditions, and allowing
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Based on the
success of the traffic control project for the city’s bus fleet, DCC and IBM
Research are working together to find ways to further augment traffic control
in Dublin. “Our relationship with IBM is quite fluid–we offer them our
expertise about how the city operates, and their researchers use that input to
extract valuable insights from our Big Data,” says O’Brien. “Currently, the IBM
team is working on ways to integrate data from rain and flood gauges into the
traffic control solution–alerting controllers to potential hazards presented by
extreme weather conditions, and allowing them to take timely action to reduce
the impact on road users.” In addition to meteorological data, IBM is
investigating the possibility of incorporating data from the under-road sensor
network to better understand the impact of private motor vehicles on traffic
congestion. The IBM team is also developing a predictive analytics solution
combining data from the city’s tram network with electronic docks for the
city’s free bicycle scheme. This project aims to optimize the distribution of
the city’s free bicycles according to anticipated demand–ensuring that citizens
can seamlessly continue their journey after stepping off a tram. “Working with
IBM Research has allowed us to take a fresh look at our transport strategy,”
concludes O’Brien. “Thanks to the continuing work of the IBM team, we can see
how our transport network is working as a whole–and develop innovative ways to
improve it for Dublin’s citizens.”

1. Is there
a strong case to make for large cities to use Big Data Analytics and related
information technologies? Identify and discuss examples of what can be done
with analytics beyond what is portrayed in this application case.

2. How can a
big data analytics help ease the traffic problem in large cities?

3. What were
the challenges Dublin City was facing; what were the proposed solution, initial
results, and future plans?

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