Ngaphambi kokuba isibani sokuqala somgwaqo sikhanyise emgwaqweni wedolobha, izinqola ezidonswa ngamahhashi, abahamba ngezinyawo, nezimoto zakuqala zazincintisana ukuze zithole indawo ezimpambanweni zemigwaqo ezinokuxaka. Njengoba inani labantu emadolobheni lakhula ngasekupheleni kwekhulu le-19, izingozi zaba yinto evamile ngendlela ethusayo, futhi umphakathi wafuna indlela ehlelekile yokulawula ilungelo lendlela. Imizamo yokuqala yokulawula ithrafikhi yayincike emaphoyiseni ami odakeni futhi eqondisa izimoto ngezandla noma ngempempe, kodwa le ndlela yayingasebenzi futhi iyingozi. Abahleli bedolobha basheshe babona ukuthi umshini noma ithuluzi likagesi lingenza umsebenzi ofanayo ngokuthembekile futhi likhulule amaphoyisa eminye imisebenzi. Isibani somgwaqo savela njengempendulo, sithuthuka kusukela ezibani zokuqala ezinamandla egesi zaba amanethiwekhi ahlakaniphile anamuhla axhumana nezimoto nezikhungo zokulawula eziyinhloko. Ukuqonda uhambo olusuka kulokho kuhlola kokuqala okubuthakathaka kuya ezibani zomgwaqo ezihlakaniphile zanamuhla akugcini ngokwembula intuthuko yezobuchwepheshe kodwa futhi nenguquko eyisisekelo endleleni esicabanga ngayo ngokuphepha emadolobheni. I-Shandong Penghui Intelligent Technology Co., Ltd., njengomkhiqizi wesimanje wemishini yezokuthutha ehlakaniphile, iqhubeka naleli fa ngokukhiqiza izibani zomgwaqo ze-LED ezithuthukisiwe ezithuthukisa ukusebenza kahle ezimpambanweni zemigwaqo emhlabeni wonke.

Inselelo eyinhloko umbani womgwaqo ngamunye awubhekana nayo ukwabiwa kwendawo elinganiselwe yomgwaqo phakathi kwabasebenzisi abancintisanayo endaweni eyodwa. Ngaphandle kohlelo oluthembekile lokukhombisa izimpawu, izimpambano zomgwaqo ziba yizindawo ezinobunzima lapho ukudideka kuholela ekushayisaneni nasekuminyaneni. Izinyathelo zakuqala zokulawula umgwaqo ezinjengezimpawu zokunikezela kanye nezindilinga zomgwaqo zasiza ezindaweni ezinabantu abambalwa, kodwa azikwazanga ukumelana nenani lezimoto ezafika nokukhula kwemoto. Umbani womgwaqo wanikeza isixazululo esicacile, esibonakalayo, nesiphoqelekile: iqoqo lamalambu anemibala elitshela umshayeli ngamunye ukuthi kufanele ame nini futhi ahambe nini. Lokhu kulula kuyakhohlisa, ngoba ukuklama uhlelo lwezikhathi olunciphisa ukubambezeleka ngenkathi kukhuliswa ukuphepha kuyinkinga eyinkimbinkimbi yokwenza kahle. Onjiniyela banamuhla bomgwaqo basebenzisa ama-algorithms ayinkimbinkimbi ukuhlela izimpawu ezinkulungwane emzini wonke, banciphisa isikhathi sokuhamba kanye nokukhishwa kwezinto ezingcolile. Ithikithi elibomvu ngalinye elikhishwa namuhla liyinzalo eqondile yezindlela zokuphoqelela ezakhiwe kuzimpawu zokuqala zikagesi, eziqinisekisa ukuthi abashayeli bayahlonipha igunya lohlelo.

Umqondisi wokuqala womhlaba obhalwe phansi wokulawula izimoto wafakwa ngaphandle kweHhovisi LePhalamende laseBrithani eLondon ngoDisemba 1868, futhi wawungasebenzisi ugesi kodwa uphethwe ngegesi. Waklanywa unjiniyela wezitimela uJohn Peake Knight, lo mshini wawunezandla ze-semaphore kanye nezibani ezibomvu neziluhlaza zegesi ezaziphendulwa ngesandla yiphoyisa. Umklamo wawugqugquzelwe izimpawu zezitimela, ezase zibonakale zisebenza kahle ekuvimbeleni izingozi zezitimela, futhi uKnight waguqula umqondo ukuze usetshenziselwe imigwaqo. Ebusuku, izibani zegesi zazinikeza ukubonakala, kodwa emini izandla ze-semaphore zaziyizinkomba eziyinhloko. Nakuba lo mqondisi wawuthathwa njengempumelelo ekwehliseni izingozi zezinqola, impilo yawo yaba mfushane ngokudabukisayo: ngoJanuwari 1869, ukuvuza kwegesi kwabangela ukuthi lo mshini uqhume, kulimaza kakhulu iphoyisa elaliwusebenzisa. Lesi sehlakalo sabuyisela emuva ukwamukelwa kwemishini yokulawula izimoto yemishini amashumi eminyaka, njengoba amadolobha ebuyela ekuthembeleni emaphoyiseni nasezimpawini zomgwaqo ezenziwa ngesandla. Umfanekiso wokuqala owaziwayo wezibani zomgwaqo zalesi sikhathi ukhombisa isigxobo eside esinesibani esisodwa segesi kanye nengalo ye-semaphore, okuwumahluko omkhulu kunama-LED arrays athambile esiwabonayo namuhla.

Ngaphesheya kwe-Atlantic, amadolobha aseMelika ahlola izimpawu ezisebenza ngezandla ezifakwe emibhoshongweni emide emaphakathi nezimpambano zemigwaqo. Ngo-1914, i-American Traffic Signal Company yafaka isibani sokuqala sikagesi somgwaqo e-Cleveland, e-Ohio, empambanweni ye-Euclid Avenue ne-East 105th Street. Lo mshini wawusebenzisa izibani ezibomvu neziluhlaza eziphethwe yiphoyisa elisendaweni eseduze, futhi wawuhlanganisa nomsindo wokuxwayisa ngokushintsha kombala. Impumelelo yokufakwa e-Cleveland yavusa intshisekelo kulo lonke elaseMelika, futhi eminyakeni embalwa amadolobha amaningi aba nezinguqulo zawo. Lezi zimpawu zakuqala zikagesi zazisalawulwa ngezandla, okusho ukuthi ukusebenza kwazo kwakuncike ekuqapheleni komsebenzisi. Isinyathelo esilandelayo esinengqondo kwakuwukusebenza ngokuzenzakalelayo, futhi abasunguli bagijimisana ukuze bakhe umshini ongashintsha imibala ngesikhathi esimisiwe ngaphandle kokungenelela komuntu. Ukushintsha kusuka kugesi kuya kugesi kwaqeda ingozi yokuqhuma eyayihlupha umklamo kaKnight, kodwa futhi kwavula amathuba amasha okusebenzisana nokuhlela isikhathi okwakuzokwenza isibani somgwaqo sanamuhla sibe yinto ebalulekile.

UGarrett Morgan, umsunguli ongum-African American owayenamandla, uvame ukuhlonishwa ngokudala isignali yokuqala yezimoto ezizenzakalelayo ngo-1923 ngemuva kokubona ingozi enkulu yenqola. Umklamo kaMorgan wawunensika emise okwe-T enezindawo ezintathu: ukuma, ukuqhubeka, nokuma kuzo zonke izinhlangothi okuvumela abahamba ngezinyawo ukuba bawele ngokuphepha. Wagcina umklamo wakhe ngomthetho futhi kamuva wathengisa amalungelo kuGeneral Electric ngama-$40,000, okuyimali enkulu ngaleso sikhathi. Isignali kaMorgan yayihlukile ngoba yayihlanganisa indawo "yokuqapha" eyayimisa izimoto kuzo zonke izinhlangothi, inikeza abahamba ngezinyawo isikhathi esithile sokuwele. Lokhu kusungula kwabikezela isignali yesimanje yokuwela kwabahamba ngezinyawo futhi kwaxazulula igebe lokuphepha elalinganakwa emiklameni yangaphambili. Umsebenzi wakhe uvame ukucashunwa emidwebeni yomlando wezibani zezimoto nasemifanekisweni yamalungelo obunikazi, ekhombisa ingalo yemishini engaphakanyiswa noma yehliselwe ukukhombisa umlayezo ofanele. Umnikelo kaMorgan ugqama ngoba wanqoba izithiyo zobuhlanga ukuze akhiphe umklamo wakhe emakethe, futhi isibani sakhe sezimoto sihlala siwuphawu lobuhlakani nokuphikelela.

Kusenjalo, izinhlelo ezizenzakalelayo ezisebenzisa izikhathi ezimisiwe zaqala ukuvela emadolobheni amakhulu afana neNew York, Chicago, neDetroit. Isignali yokuqala yomgwaqo ezisebenza ngokuphelele yafakwa eHouston, eTexas, ngo-1922, isebenzisa umshini wesikhathi owawushintsha izibani ngezikhathi ezimisiwe. Lezi zikhathi zaziyisisekelo ngokwezindinganiso zanamuhla—zazisebenza ngomjikelezo omisiwe kungakhathaliseki ukuthi inani lezimoto lalingakanani—kodwa zamelela ukuthuthuka okukhulu uma kuqhathaniswa nokusebenza ngesandla. Onjiniyela bathola ngokushesha ukuthi ukuhlela izibani eziningi emgwaqeni owodwa kunganciphisa ukushayela okuma nokuqhubeka, futhi kwazalwa izinhlelo zokuqala "zohlaza oluhamba". Lezi zinhlelo zokuqala ezihleliwe zasebenzisa ukuxhumana okulula kukagesi phakathi kwezilawuli, kodwa zafakazela ukuthi uhlelo lwezibani zomgwaqo ezihlakaniphile lungathuthukisa kakhulu ukuhamba kwezimoto. Ukwethulwa kombala ophuzi noma o-amber ngeminyaka yawo-1920, okuthiwa kwenziwa yiphoyisa laseDetroit uWilliam Potts, kwengeza isikhathi esibalulekile sokuxwayisa esanciphisa izingozi zokushayisana ngemuva. Ngombala ophuzi, uhlelo lwemibala emithathu olubusa imigwaqo emhlabeni wonke namuhla lwapheleliswa, futhi isibani somgwaqo sangena enkathini yaso yegolide yokwanda.

Ukulandelana kwamanje okujwayelekile kokubomvu, okuphuzi, nokuluhlaza kwakungeyona into ekhethwe nje; kwathathwa embonini yezitimela, eyayivele iwafanisele le mibala ukukhombisa ukuma, ukuqapha, nokuhamba. Umbala obomvu wakhethwa ukukhombisa ukuma ngoba unomugqa omude kunayo yonke emthonjeni obonakalayo, okwenza ubonakale ukude kakhulu, ikakhulukazi enkungwini noma emvuleni. Okuluhlaza, ngakolunye uhlangothi lomthombo, kunomehluko omkhulu uma kuqhathaniswa nokubomvu, kunciphisa ithuba lokudideka. Okuphuzi kumaphakathi futhi kukhombisa ushintsho oluxwayisa abashayeli ukuthi balungiselele ukuma. Lokhu kuhlelwa kwemibala sekugxile kakhulu kangangokuthi kusetshenziswa kwezinye izimo eziningi, kusukela ekujezisweni kwezemidlalo kuya ezinkombeni zesimo se-software. Noma yimuphi umshayeli owake wathola ithikithi lokukhanya okubomvu uyazi ukuthi ukweqa umbala obomvu kubhekwa njengenye yeziphambeko eziyingozi kakhulu zomgwaqo ngoba kubangela izingozi zokushayisana eceleni ngesivinini esikhulu. Ukuphoqelelwa kokweqa umbala obomvu ngamakhamera nokubhekwa ngamaphoyisa kuwukusetshenziswa okuqondile kokwethemba uhlelo lwezibani ezintathu olubeka kubashayeli ukuthi balalele imiyalo yalo.

Ukubekwa nokwakhiwa kwezibani ezintathu nakho kuye kwahlelwa ngokuhamba kwesikhathi ukuze kuqinisekiswe ukufana emazingeni ahlukene omthetho. Emazweni amaningi, izibani zihlelwa zime mpo, okubomvu phezulu, okuphuzi phakathi, nokuluhlaza phansi, okusiza abashayeli abangaboni imibala ukuthi babone ukuthi yisiphi isibani esikhanyayo ngokwesikhundla. Ukuhlelwa okuvundlile kukhona kwezinye izindawo kodwa akuvamisile. Amandla ezibani akhule kakhulu: izibani zakudala ezazikhanyisa kancane zazikhiqiza ukukhanya okubuthakathaka okwakunzima ukukubona emini, kuyilapho izinhlelo zanamuhla ze-LED zikhanya ngokwanele ukuthi zibonakale ngisho nasezikhanyeni zelanga. Uhlelo lwezibani ezintathu luye lwabonakala lusebenza kahle kangangokuthi lwamukelwa cishe kuwo wonke amazwe, kunomehluko omncane emibaleni nasezikhathini. Ukuqonda umlando walolu hlelo kusiza ekuchazeni ukuthi kungani izibani zomgwaqo ezi-smart zanamuhla zisasebenzisa imibala efanayo eyintathu nakuba ubuchwepheshe obuyisisekelo bazo bube buhle kakhulu. Isibani somgwaqo siyisibonelo esingavamile sobuchwepheshe obuhlale bungashintshi ngokubukeka iminyaka eyikhulu kuyilapho izingxenye zangaphakathi zihlaziywa ngokuphelele.

Emuva eminyakeni edlule, irobhothi elithobekile lezimoto liguqulwe ngobuchwepheshe bedijithali, izinzwa, nokuxhumana okungenazintambo. Enye yezinto ezintsha ezibonakala kakhulu isibali sesikhathi sokubala sezinyathelo, esibonisa inani lemizuzwana esele ngaphambi kokuba ukukhanya kushintshe. Lezi zibali zisiza ukunciphisa ukukhathazeka kwabahamba ngezinyawo futhi kukhonjisiwe ukuthi zinciphisa inani labantu ababanjwa ezimpambanweni zomgwaqo lapho ukukhanya kuphenduka kubomvu. Izibali zesikhathi zokubala zabashayeli nazo ziyaqhamuka kwamanye amadolobha, zisiza abashayeli ukuthi banqume ukuthi bangabamba noma baqhubeke nokuhamba ngesibani esiphuzi. Lokhu kwengezwa okulula kolwazi lwezinombolo kuthuthukise ukuphepha kwabo bonke abasebenzisi bomgwaqo. Ngesikhathi esifanayo, amarobhothi ahlakaniphile asebenzisa izihibe ezi-induktivu ezifakwe emgwaqweni ukuze abone izimoto futhi alungise isikhathi ngempela. Ngokunikeza izibani eziluhlaza emikhondweni yezimoto ezisindayo nokweqa izindlela ezingenamuntu, lezi zinhlelo zinciphisa ukulinda okungadingekile futhi zinciphisa ukusetshenziswa kukaphethiloli.

Umkhawulo olandelayo kubuchwepheshe bezimpawu zomgwaqo ukuxhumana phakathi kwemoto nengqalasizinda (V2I), lapho izimpawu zomgwaqo ezihlakaniphile zithumela idatha ngqo ezimotweni ezixhumene. Isibani somgwaqo esihlakaniphile singasakaza isimo saso samanje kanye nesikhathi sokushintsha okulandelayo, okuvumela ikhompyutha yemoto ukuthi incoma isivinini esifanele ukuze udlule ochungechungeni lwezibani eziluhlaza. Lokhu kunciphisa ukushayela okuma-uhamba, kwehlisa ukukhishwa kwezinto ezingcolile, futhi kuthuthukisa ukugeleza kwemoto ngaphandle kokudinga izinguquko engqalasizindeni ebonakalayo. Amadolobha afana ne-Los Angeles, Singapore, ne-Barcelona asebenzisa izinkundla eziqhutshwa yi-AI ezihlaziya amaphethini omgwaqo ezimpambanweni zezinkulungwane futhi zilungisa isikhathi sezimpawu emhlabeni wonke. Lezi zinhlelo zingaphendula emicimbini ekhethekile, ezingozini, noma ezimweni zezulu ngemizuzwana, ziphinde ziqondise kabusha umgwaqo ukuze zinciphise ukuminyana. I-Shandong Penghui Intelligent Technology Co., Ltd. ikhiqiza izimpawu zomgwaqo ze-LED ezisezingeni eliphezulu ezihambisana nalezi zinhlelo zokulawula ezihlakaniphile, zinikeza isisekelo esiqinile sehadiwe esidingwa amaphrojekthi edolobha elihlakaniphile. Imikhiqizo yale nkampani isukela ezimpawini eziyisisekelo zabahamba ngezinyawo kuya ezimpawini ezinemibala egcwele ezinemiyalezo eguqukayo, yonke yakhelwe ukuhlangabezana namazinga omhlaba wokukhanya nokuqina.

Ukuhlanganiswa kwamakhamera nobuhlakani bokwenziwa nakho kuguqule ukuphoqelelwa kwemithetho. Amakhamera azenzakalelayo abomvu athwebula izithombe eziphakeme kakhulu zezimoto ezingena empambanweni ngemva kokuba ilambu seliphenduke libomvu, akhiphe inhlawulo yelambu elibomvu ethunyelwa kumnikazi wemoto. Lawa makhamera abe nempikiswano kodwa asekelwa yidatha ekhombisa ukuncipha okukhulu kwezingozi zokushayisana eceleni ezimpambanweni ezinamakhamera. Izinhlelo zesikhathi esizayo zingasebenzisa ama-algorithms okubikezela ukuze zithole abagijimi belambu elibomvu ngaphambi kokuba bangene empambanweni futhi zibangele ukunwetshwa okufushane kwesigaba esiphuzi. Lolu hlobo lokuziphatha oluguquguqukayo luwuphawu lwesizukulwane esilandelayo sezibani zomgwaqo ezihlakaniphile, eziyofiphaza umugqa phakathi kwengqalasizinda nobuhlakani. Umbono wokugcina uwuhlelo oluzimele ngokuphelele lokuphatha ithrafikhi oluxhumana nezimoto ezizishayelayo ukuze kuqedwe isidingo sezibani ezinemibala engaguquki, nakuba lelo kusasa lisemude kakhulu.

Kusukela esibani segesi esaqhuma eLondon yaseVictorian kuya kunethiwekhi yamarobhothi ahlakaniphile e-traffic light axhumene nezimoto ezizishayelayo, i-traffic light iye yashintsha kakhulu. Isigaba ngasinye salokhu kuthuthukiswa—izimpawu ezenziwa ngesandla, ukusebenza kagesi ngokuzenzakalelayo, izinga lemibala emithathu, nobuhlakani bedijithali—sekakhelwe phezu kwaleso sangaphambilini ukuze kudalwe izinhlelo ezisindisa izimpilo futhi zigcine amadolobha ehamba. I-traffic light ingenye yezingqalasizinda ezimbalwa umsebenzisi ngamunye womgwaqo ahlangana nayo nsuku zonke, futhi ukuthembeka kwayo kuthathwa kalula. Nokho, ngemuva kwalokho kuthembeka kukhona iminyaka engaphezu kwekhulu yobunjiniyela, imithetho, kanye nokusungula izinto ezintsha. Njengoba inani labantu emadolobheni likhula futhi isidingo sezokuthutha eziphumelelayo sikhula, indima ye-traffic light izoba nokubaluleka okukhulu. Abakhiqizi banamuhla abafanaIkhayaabahlinzeki abanjenge-Shandong Penghui Intelligent Technology Co., Ltd. bangabambalekeli ababalulekile kule ndaba eqhubekayo, bekhiqiza izimpawu eziqinile, ezigcina amandla eziyisisekelo sezinhlelo zokuhamba ezihlakaniphile. Ngokuzayo lapho ulinda isibani esibomvu, thatha isikhathi sokubonga umlando ocebile nobuchwepheshe obuyinkimbinkimbi obenza lokho kukhanya okulula kwenzeke. Noma ngabe ubhekana nesibani esiyisisekelo sabahamba ngezinyawo noma isibani somgwaqo esihlakaniphile esisezingeni eliphezulu, ubona umphumela wemizamo eqhubekayo yabantu yokuxazulula enye yezinkinga ezindala zempilo yasemadolobheni: ukuthi ungahlanganyela kanjani umgwaqo ngokuphepha.