AI and smart traffic lights could transform your commute Lockdowns around the world have seen streets temporarily empty of cars, offering a glimpse of what our cities could be like without traffic jams. Now, scientists and engineers want to use artificial intelligence (AI) to rethink the way we use our roads and reduce congestion post-pandemic. Michael Ganser is an engineer with Kapsch TrafficCom, an Austrian company that provides intelligent transportation systems. “Building new roads or adding new lanes alone is not sustainable,” he says. Ganser believes the solution to gridlock lies in a combination of smart traffic lights, connected vehicles and congestion charges — all informed by AI.