In the TRAVOLUTION project, the main road network in Ingolstadt was equipped with traffic-adaptive network control BALANCE. TRAVOLUTION is a neologism combining TRaffic and eVOLUTION. It is thus a combination of traffic engineering and evolutionary optimization methods. In TRAVOLUTION, such methods were used for the first time in Germany for optimizing traffic control in a whole road network and to find the best possible Green Wave.

Network control with Genetic Algorithms
Network control finds the best traffic signal control for the entire traffic network and for all road users. Signal control constantly adapts to the current traffic situation. The Green Waves react on the traffic much better than more ordinary control methods. All in all, 46 traffic signal systems have been equipped with traffic-adaptive network control BALANCE.

Network control saves fuel and reduces air pollution
The TRAVOLUTION concept has a huge economic and ecological potential. Due to the new control technology, 700.000 liters of fuel are saved in Ingolstadt each year – simply because cars have to stop less. That also means 1.600 tons of CO₂ pollution less in the air. In addition, the saved time can be used much more productive than while waiting in a traffic jam. The economic benefits of the new system exceed the investments already after one year.

A sensible step towards sustainable road traffic
Optimizing a road network is not about making traffic faster – it is about making it more fluent. TRAVOLUTION is one element for intelligent road traffic. Bicycle lanes, user-friendly public transport and economic car technology are other elements. TRAVOLUTION supports a better use of the existing infrastructure.