University of Hertfordshire and Tsien UK Limited KTP 24_25 R2

A new radar system will track up to 200 vehicles simultaneously at complex road junctions and multilane highways, using a combination of millimetre-wave technology and artificial intelligence. Current traffic radars struggle to distinguish individual vehicles in dense, chaotic intersections—where cars, cyclists, and pedestrians move unpredictably. This project develops Frequency Modulated Continuous Wave (FMCW) and millimetre-wave radars coupled with Multiple-Input Multiple-Output (MIMO) antenna arrays. The AI component processes the radar signals in real time, separating and tracking each target even when vehicles overlap or change direction abruptly. If successful, the system could transform how traffic management centres monitor congestion, detect incidents, and optimise signal timing. It would give city planners and highway operators a far more precise picture of traffic flow than existing loop detectors or camera-based systems, which can be blinded by weather, shadows, or occlusion. The technology might also underpin future autonomous vehicle navigation in dense urban environments, where reliable sensing of other road users is critical. This is an applied engineering project with a clear commercial goal—the collaboration with Tsien UK Limited aims to bring the radar to market. The immediate impact is on infrastructure monitoring rather than on individual drivers, but better traffic data ultimately means fewer delays and safer roads.