Moscow’s Trams Are Getting a Speed Boost at Intersections
AI-powered cameras and adaptive traffic lights are giving trams priority at intersections in Moscow, cutting travel times by 20 percent and reducing localized congestion.
Moscow has begun moving trams through intersections significantly faster by using smart cameras and traffic lights with video analytics. According to Maxim Liksutov, the city’s deputy mayor for transport and industry, the new system allows trams to pass intersections about 20 percent faster than before.
City officials say the intelligent infrastructure has reduced the number of local traffic jams and helped distribute traffic more evenly across the road network.
The system was first introduced in 2025, when Moscow deployed video analytics at traffic lights for the first time. On selected routes, cameras automatically detect an approaching tram and adjust the signal in advance, giving public transport priority through the intersection.
Traffic Lights That Talk to Vehicles
Coordination between traffic lights is handled by an automated traffic management system that analyzes real-time traffic using sensors and cameras. About 70 percent of Moscow’s traffic lights are now connected to this system.
Another element of the rollout is data sharing with navigation and mapping services. Traffic light status—including countdown timers until a signal change—is transmitted to navigation apps, helping drivers better anticipate stops and starts.
The same traffic signal data, delivered via secure communication protocols, is also shared with autonomous trams and taxis, as well as delivery robots. This allows driverless systems to factor signal timing into their movement, improving efficiency and safety.
Together, the upgrades show how Moscow is turning intersections into connected systems—where traffic lights, public transit, navigation apps, and autonomous vehicles all operate on the same real-time data, reshaping how traffic moves through the city.
