Traffic sensors are used for traffic management, automatic incident detection, and data collection. Traffic sensors provide standard data regarding traffic, speed, and area occupancy, which are helpful to avoid congestion in the large metropolitan areas. Moreover, these sensors helps to accurately measure average flow speed, which helps to distinguish different service levels such as dense, congestion, queue, and fluid. Traffic sensors improves the efficiency and capacity of transportation networks.

Inductive-loop detectors, video image processors, magnetometers, laser radar sensors, microwave radar sensors, ultrasonic sensors, passive infrared sensors, and passive acoustic sensors are types of traffic sensors. Application of these sensors includes incident detection, traffic signal control, mainline control, and measurement of vehicle volume.

One of the key factors expected to boost the growth of global traffic sensor market is growing traffic volume. Furthermore lack of effective roadways in urban, intercity, and rural areas is major reason for high volume of traffic on road, especially in emerging economies such as India, China, and Brazil. This demands for traffic sensors to manage road traffic by minimizing congestion. Therefore, traffic sensors can be deployed to ensure optimal utilization of existing roadways. For instance, intelligent transportation systems (ITS) aimed to provide traffic analysis, electronic surveillance along with improved safety, and minimizing pollutant emissions. According to Organization Internationale des Constructeurs d'Automobiles or OICA, around 1.28 billion units of vehicles were in use in 2015 worldwide as compared to 1.23 billion vehicles in 2014. Hence, increasing vehicle parc would lead to proportional increase in road traffic. Traffic sensor is a systematic solution for the prevention of this issues.

However, high cost for implementation is major factor expected to restrain the growth of the global traffic sensor market during the forecast period.

Traffic Sensor Market Taxonomy:

On the basis of sensor type, the global traffic sensor market is segmented into:

Inductive loops
Infrared sensors
Piezoelectric sensors
Magnetic sensors
Image sensors
LiDAR sensors
Thermal sensors
Radar sensors
Acoustic sensors
Bending plates

On the basis of application, the global traffic sensor market is segmented into:

Traffic monitoring
Vehicle measurement and profiling
Weigh in motion
Automated tolling or e-toll

On the basis of regions, the global traffic sensor market is classified into:

North America
Europe
Asia Pacific
Latin America
Middle East
Africa

Global Traffic Sensor Market: Regional Insights

The global traffic sensor market has been segmented on the basis of regions into North America, Asia Pacific, Europe, Latin America, Middle East, and Africa. North America held the largest share in the global traffic sensor market in 2018. The U.S. is the major growth engine in North America market, owing to increasing initiatives from the U.S. government towards improvement of transportation infrastructure and implementation of intelligent transportation systems (ITS). For instance, in 2015, the America's Surface Transportation Act or "FAST Act" was implemented, to solve road traffic congestion issues, enhance transportation within the country, improve working efficiencies in transportation systems and commercial vehicles, and minimize vehicle emissions. Further, manufacturer are also focusing on new technology to help the vehicles for traffic safety. For Instance, in July 2019, Continental announced a launch of its radar sensor technologies which will be used in the EasyMile’s EZ10 autonomous shuttle and helps to detect the vehicle’s environment within a radius of up to 200 meters.

Global Traffic Sensor Market: Key Market Players

Major players operating in the global traffic sensor market include EFKON AG, Kapsch TrafficCom AG, TransCore, International Road Dynamics, Inc., Kistler Group, Flir Systems, Inc., TE Connectivity Ltd., SWARCO AG, Q-Free ASA, SICK AG, Axis Communications AB, Raytheon Company, and Siemens AG.

Global Traffic Sensor Market: Key Developments

In May 2019, Sensys Networks, Inc., the world’s leading provider of integrated wireless traffic data systems for Smart Cities, announces their merger with TagMaster, a global provider of sensor-based solutions in traffic, tolling, parking and rail. The merged entity will provide greater depth and breadth to leading-edge data solutions for more customers across the globe. By integrating Sensys Networks’ wireless platform with TagMaster application solutions for traffic detection, tolling, parking and rail, the combined company will provide applications across the entire Smart City solution spectrum.
In September 2018, Corelight, providers of the most powerful network visibility solution for cybersecurity, today launched a new addition to its growing product suite, the Corelight Virtual Sensor. This new sensor allows organizations to flexibly monitor traffic at speeds up to 2 Gbps and is scalable across four reference configurations for VMware
In April 2018, SICK AG launched 3D TIC502 LiDAR sensor system for traffic management. The TIC502 incorporates vehicle speed detection with 3D profiling and counting of fast-lane, free flowing and static traffic to facilitate toll charge assessment.
In March 2018, FLIR Systems, Inc. announced the launch of the FLIR ThermiCam V2X, a thermal traffic sensor for the emerging vehicle-to-everything (V2X) technology market. The FLIR V2X-enabled traffic sensor for urban traffic will allow vehicles and traffic infrastructure to communicate and share data in a system that aims to improve motorist, pedestrian, and bicyclist safety and efficiency.
In September 2016, Here Technologies launched sensor-based real-time traffic data service. Here has announced to combine sensor data from carmakers Audi, BMW and Daimler, creating a repository that contains real-time data on traffic flow and congestions, location of accidents and obstacles as well as road signs.is a company that provides mapping and location data and related services to individuals and companies.