Ukusungulwa kwezimoto kwaguqula ezokuthutha zabantu nezamabhizinisi, kwavulela izigidi zabantu emhlabeni wonke amathuba okuhamba angakaze abekho ngaphambili. Kodwa-ke, ngalobu budlova obusha kwavela inkinga efanayo engakaze ibe khona: ukwanda okukhulu kwezingozi zomgwaqo, ukulimala, nokufa. Ngasekupheleni kwekhulu le-19, imigwaqo yedolobha eyayigcwele yayisiphenduke izindawo zokulwa zezinqola ezihanjiswa ngamahhashi, izimoto zokuqala, amabhayisikili, nabahamba ngezinyawo, bonke bebanga indawo ngokungabi bikho nhlobo ukuhlangana. Isidingo esiphuthumayo sesistimu ethembekile yokuphatha lesi sihlahla esikhulayo saba yinto eyayingenakugwenywa, yaphakamisa abasunguli nabahleli bamadolobha ukuthi bafune isixazululo semishini esingaletha uhlelo. Lolo hlelo lokufuna lwaze lwazala isibani sezimoto, insiza eyisisekelo sempilo yesimanje kangangokuthi kulula ukukhohlwa ukuthi kwakuyinto entsha kangakanani ngaleso sikhathi. Namuhla, isibani esithobekile sokumisa sihlala njengesinye sezinsiza eziphumelela kakhulu zokuphepha ezake zasetshenziswa emigwaqweni yomphakathi, sishintsha izimpilo eziningi nsuku zonke ngolimi olulula lwezingilazi ezinemibala nezikhathi ezimisiwe. Lesi sihloko silandela lonke uhambo lokuthuthukiswa kwesibani sezimoto, kusukela ezindleleni zaso zokuqala zokuhlola kuya ezinhlelweni ezihlakaniphile, eziholwa izinzwa ezilawula izimoto zethu ekhulwini lama-21, futhi sihlola ukuthi zonke izinto ezintsha ziye zandisa kanjani indima yazo njengomvikeli wokuphepha komphakathi.

Ukukhanya kokuqala kwethrafikhi kwakungeyona neze into kagesi kodwa kwakuyilambu kagase olwalulawulwa ngesandla olwafakwa ngaphandle kwezindlu zamazwe aseBrithani eLondon ngo-1868. Lwenzelwe unjiniyela wezitimela uJ.P. Knight, owayenokuhlangenwe nako okuningi ezinhlelweni zokubonisa izitimela, le nto yokuqala yayisebenzisa izibani ezibomvu neziluhlaza ezikhanyiswa ugase ukukhombisa ukuthi izinqola ezihanjiswa ngamahhashi nabahamba ngezinyawo kufanele zimile noma ziqhubeke. Isikhulu samaphoyisa kwakudingeka simile eduze kwekholamu futhi sisebenzise izinduku ukuze siguqule isibonakaliso, inqubo eyayinzima kodwa eyabonisa ukuthi iyasebenza ekunciphiseni ukuminyana ezingeni eliphezulu. Ngokudabukisa, le nto ayizange ihlale isikhathi eside: ngaphansi konyaka ngemuva kokufakwa kwayo, ukuvuza kukagesi kwadala ukuqhuma okwenzakalisa kabi isikhulu esasiyisebenzisa, okwaholela ekushiyweni ngokushesha kokulawulwa kwethrafikhi okusekelwe ugase iminyaka eminingana. Naphezu kwalokhu kuhluleka, umklamo kaKnight wahlwanyela imbewu eyayizokhula ibe yindinganiso yomhlaba wonke, futhi ihlala iyisihloko esithakazelisayo emlandweni wengqalasizinda yedolobha. Izazi-mlando zamanje zivame ukubuyekeza imidwebo yakudala yokukhanya kwethrafikhi kusukela esikhathini esidlule ukuze zibonge ukuthi ubuchwepheshe buye bathuthuka kangakanani, ziqaphele ukuthi izikhwepha zomlilo ezivulekile zaziseduze kakhulu nemithombo yamafutha evutha kalula.

Ukwanda okukhulu okulandelayo akuzange kwenzeke kwaze kwaba ngasekuqaleni kwawo-1910s, lapho ukwanda kwezimoto ezaziphethwe abantu emadolobheni aseMelika kwavusa isithakazelo ekulawulweni kwezimoto okuzenzakalelayo. Ngo-1912, iphoyisa laseSalt Lake City ogama lakhe linguLester Wire lakha isibani sezimoto sikagesimende esilula sisebenzisa izibani ezibomvu neziluhlaza ezifakwe ebhokisini lokhuni, elinikwa amandla izintambo zikagesimende ezisemoyeni. Yize umklamo wakhe ungazange ube ne-patent, ugqugquzele uchungechunge lwezivivinyo ezifanayo kulo lonke elaseMelika, okwaholela ekufakweni kwesibani sezimoto sikagesimende esigcwele sokuqala eCleveland, Ohio, ngo-1914. Lolo hlelo, olwafakwa yi-American Traffic Signal Company, lwalunokukhanya okubomvu noluhlaza okulawulwa kusuka endaweni eseduze lapho iphoyisa lalizokwazi ukushintsha phakathi kwazo mathupha. Kwakuyithuthukiso olukhulu kakhulu kunamalambu kagase, ngokuya ngokuphepha nokwethembeka, futhi kwavula indlela yamawashi azokwenza ngokuzenzakalelayo azolandela maduze. Isibani sezimoto esiphuzi esaziwa manje asizange sivele kwaze kwaba kamuva, sethulwa ukunikeza abashayeli isikhathi sesixwayiso phakathi kwezikhathi eziluhlaza nezibomvu, kunciphisa kakhulu inani lokushayisana ngemuva ezindaweni eziwela kuzo izimoto.

Ngaphambi kokuba izibani zethrafikhi zikagesimende zithandwe, izibani zezimpawu zazigcwalisa isikhala esibalulekile ngokunikeza indlela ephathekayo, ebonakala kalula yokuqondisa abasebenzisi bomgwaqo ezindaweni eziyingozi. Lezi zibani zazivame ukubaswa u-kerosene noma uwoyela futhi zifakwe amaphaneli engilazi anemibala angajikeleziswa ukubonisa izixwayiso ezibomvu, eziluhlaza okotshani, noma ezinsundu, okuvumela abasebenzi ukuba baxhumane nabashayeli abasondelayo ngaphandle kwesidingo sengqalasizinda emile. Ezindaweni zokwakha, emaweni ezitimela, nasezintweni ezikhethekile, isibani esisodwa esibanjwe umuntu oqeqeshiwe sasikwazi ukuvimbela izingozi ezingeke zenzeke ngenxa yokudideka noma ukungaboni kahle. Ukuphakama nje kokubona isibani sezimpawu sikhanya kude kwaba yisibonakaliso esijwayelekile sokucophelela, isifinyezo esibonakalayo esitshela umhambi ngamunye ukuthi ahambe kancane, ahlole isimo, futhi alungele ukuma. Amaphoyisa amaningi omkhandlu angaphambili ayenikeza lezi zinsiza emaphoyiseni awo ikakhulukazi ukuze aqondise ithrafikhi ebusuku, eqaphela ukuthi izimpawu ezimile zazingenelisi lapho ubumnyama buhlisa izikhathi zokuphendula. Nanamuhla, isithombe sokudweba izibani zethrafikhi nezibani sivusa umuzwa wokuhamba kahle nokuhlanganyela, ubufakazi bamandla aqhubekayo engqondo okukhanya okune-color njengendlela yokuxhumana.

Izibani zesiginali nazo zazidlala indima ebalulekile engokomfanekiso emkhankasweni obanzi wokuphepha emigwaqweni owaqala ukuthola amandla ekuqaleni kwekhulu lama-20. Om Masipala abatshala imali ezibayeni ezisezingeni eliphezulu nabaqeqeshi abasebenza nazo bathumela umlayezo ocacile kubantu babo ukuthi inhlalakahle yomphakathi ibalulekile, okwakhuthaza ukuthobela imithetho yethrafikhi kakhulu. Ukubonakala kwezinto lezi kwakungeyona nje inzuzo esebenzayo kodwa kwakuyinzuzo emphakathini, njengoba abashayeli ababona isibani sesiginali esiphambanweni sasizokwenza kakhulu ukunikeza indlela kunalabo ababona isiphambano esingabhalisiwe. Lo mthetho wokubonakala ngokukhanya nombala uhlala ubalulekile ekwakhiweni kokulawula ithrafikhi namuhla, okwazisa konke kusukela ekukhanyeni kwezinto zesimanje ze-LED kuya ekubekweni kwezikhombisi zesikhathi sokubala sabahamba ngezinyawo. Ukuguquka kusuka ezibayeni eziphathekayo kuye ezibayeni zikagesi ezimile akuzange kunciphise ukubaluleka kokubonakala; kunalokho, kwandisa ukulindela ukuthi zonke iziphambano zizokhanyiswa ngokucacile ngezimpawu ezijwayelekile. Ngobuningi bezindlela, isibani sesiginali sasengaphambili kuyo yonke uhlelo lokuphatha ithrafikhi olwalulandelayo, sikhombisa umqondo oyinhloko wokuthi ukuphepha kuqala ngokuxhumana okucacile, okungabazisiyo phakathi kwengqalasizinda nomsebenzisi womgwaqo.

Ngo-1920 kwabona ukuqhakaza kobuchwepheshe obusha ekulawuleni ithrafikhi, njengoba amadolobha emhlabeni wonke ayelwa ukufaka izinhlelo ezingagcina isivinini sezimoto ezikhula ngokushesha. Omunye wabantu abanethonya kakhulu kule nkathi kwakunguGarrett Morgan, umqambi waseMelika wase-Afrika owathola ilayisensi yomshini wokukhanyisa ithrafikhi kagesi ngo-1923 ngemuva kokubona ingozi enkulu endaweni ethile eCleveland. Umklamo kaMorgan wawunesigxobo esiyisimo esiyisipesheli esinezindawo ezintathu: yima, hamba, nokumisa okuyisipesheli okwakuvumela abahamba ngezinyawo ukuba bawelwe ngokuphepha ngaphambi kokuba izimoto ziqale ukuhamba. Yize ekugcineni athengise ilayisensi yakhe kuGeneral Electric ngo-$40,000, umbono wakhe wokuba nesigaba esizinikezele sabahamba ngezinyawo wawungaphambi kwesikhathi sakhe ngeminyaka futhi usasetshenziswa ezindaweni ezihlangana ngazo izimoto emhlabeni wonke namuhla. Ngaleso sikhathi, onjiniyela eDetroit naseNew York baqala ukuzama ngama-timer akhiyelwe ngokuzenzakalelayo ayengashintsha imibala ebomvu, ephuzi, neluhlaza ngaphandle kosizo lomuntu, okuqeda isidingo sokuba umuntu ahlale ekuqaphela futhi alungise izibonakaliso. Ukwengezwa kokukhanya okumphuzi njengesigaba esimaphakathi esijwayelekile kwaba yinto enkulu, ngoba kwabanikeza abashayeli indawo yokubaleka eyayibenza bakwazi ukubikezela futhi kwanciphisa kakhulu ukungabaza nokubopha ngenxa yesimilo.

Ngo-1920s, uhlelo lwezibani ezintathu lwaba yindinganiso yamazwe ngamazwe, olwamukelwa cishe wonke amadolobha amakhulu eYurophu, eNyakatho Melika, nasezingxenyeni zase-Asia. Lokhu kufana kwakubalulekile ngoba kwavumela abashayeli ukuthi bahambe phakathi kwamadolobha ngisho naphakathi kwamazwe ngaphandle kokufunda izindlela ezintsha zokukhombisa, kunciphisa ukudideka nokuthuthukisa ukuphepha emabanga amade. Isakhiwo esiyisisekelo salezi zibani zikagesi zakuqala asizange siguquke kakhulu eminyakeni engamashumi ayisihlanu elandelayo, siqukethe izibani ezishisayo ngemuva kwezibuko zengilazi enemibala ezifakwe ezindlini zensimbi ezifakwe emapulangweni noma ezintanjeni ezingaphezulu. Ukugcinwa kwakudinga umsebenzi omkhulu, okwakudinga amaqembu ukuthi akhuphuke izitebhisi futhi ashintshe izibani ezishile njalo, kodwa ukwethembeka kohlelo kwakwanele ukulungisisa izindleko. Izinkampani ezazikhethekile ekwenzeni lezi zibonakaliso zakhula ngokushesha kule nkathi, futhi ukuhlinzekwa kwezingxenye zokushintsha kwaba yimboni ebalulekile yayo. Namuhla, ukuvakashela kunoma iyiphi indawo enezinto eziningiImikhiqizoikhasi lizodalula ukuthi ubuchwepheshe buye bafika kude kangakanani, ngamayunithi esimanje asekelwe ku-LED adla ingxenye encane yamandla kunezandulela zawo ezishisayo futhi ahlala isikhathi eside kakhulu.

Ukuphela kwekhulu lama-20 nasekuqaleni kwekhulu lama-21 kwazisa ukuthuthukiswa okuyinkimbinkimbi okuguqule izibani zomgwaqo kusuka kumawashi alula zaba izinhlelo ezihlakaniphile, ezivumelana nezimo ezikwazi ukuphendula ezimweni zangempela. Enye yezinto ezibonakala kakhulu ukuhlanganiswa kwama-countdown timers, akhombisa imizuzwana esele yesigaba esiluhlaza noma esibomvu ukusiza abashayeli nabahamba ngezinyawo ukuthi benze izinqumo ezingcono. Izifundo zihlale zikhombisa ukuthi ama-countdown timers anciphisa ukugijima ngesibani esibomvu nokungabaza kwabahamba ngezinyawo, ngoba abasebenzisi bomgwaqo bangakwazi ukukala ngokunembile ukuthi banesikhathi esanele sokudlula ngokuphepha noma ukuma. Enye intuthuko enkulu kube ukuthuthukiswa kwezibani ezifinyelelekayo kubantu abangaboni kahle, kusetshenziswa imisindo ezwakala, izinkomba zokuthinta ezithuthumelayo, nezinkinobho zokucindezela ezixhunywe ku-smartphone ezimemezela isigaba samanje. Lezi zici ezibandakanya wonke umuntu ziqinisekisa ukuthi izibani zomgwaqo zisebenzela wonke ilungu lomphakathi, hhayi labo abanokubona okuphelele kuphela, futhi ziye zabekwa njengemfuneko ezindaweni eziningi njengengxenye yemithetho ebanzi yokufinyelela kwabakhubazekile. Ubuchwepheshe obusekelayo manje buvame ukufaka izinzwa ze-radar, amakhamera, nemiqulu ye-inductive efakwe emgwaqweni ethola ubukhona bezimoto ezilindile, okuvumela isignali ukuthi yelule noma ifinyeze isikhathi sayo ngokusekelwe esidingweni sangempela kunokuba ishejuli eqinisekile.

Izinkampani ezizinikele engqalasizinda yezokuthutha ehlakaniphile ziye zashukumisa kakhulu le nqubekela phambili, zihlanganisa ubuchwepheshe kagesi, isofthiwe, kanye nobunjiniyela bomphakathi ukudala izinhlelo eziphephile, eziphumelela kakhudlwana, futhi ezisimeme kakhudlwana. Ngokwesibonelo, Mayelana NathieShandong Penghui Intelligent Technology Co., Ltd. kugcizelelwa ukugxila enkampanini ezixazululweni zezimpawu zomgwaqo zobuchwepheshe obuphezulu ezihlanganisa amakhono esimanje okuzwa nokuxhumana. Uhlu lwabo lomkhiqizo luhlanganisa izimpawu ze-LED ezinokusebenzisa amandla aphansi kakhulu, amayunithi anikwa amandla ilanga ezindaweni ezikude, namapulatifomu olawulo oluphakathi avumela onjiniyela bethrafikhi ukuthi babheke futhi balungise amakhulu ezimpambanweni zomgwaqo kusuka kuphaneli eyodwa. Lezi zinto ezintsha azilona nje izinkolelo; ziyafakwa emadolobheni kulo lonke elaseShayina futhi zithunyelwa ezimakethe emhlabeni wonke, zibonisa ukuthi ukuguquka kokuphazamiseka kwethrafikhi kude nokuphelile. Ukuxhumana okwandayo kwezimoto nge-V2X (vehicle-to-everything) communication kuthembisa ukucindezela imingcele ngisho nangaphezulu, kuvumela izimpawu zomgwaqo ukuthi zikhulume ngqo nezimoto futhi zinikeze izinto ezibalulekile ezimotweni eziphuthumayo, amabhasi, namaloli ezimpahla. Njengoba imboni ihamba ngokuphathwa ngokuphelele kwezimpambanweni zomgwaqo ezizenzakalelayo, ukukhanya okumisiwe okuzithobayo kuzoqhubeka nokuguquka, kodwa umsebenzi wayo oyisisekelo wokuvikela impilo yomuntu uzohlala ungashintshi.

Enye yezinto ezibalulekile ezithrendayo ekwakhiweni kwezibani zethrafikhi zesimanje ukugxila ekusebenziseni amandla ngendlela efanele kanye nokusimama kwemvelo. Izibani zendabuko ezishisayo, ezichitha ingxenye enkulu yamandla azo njengokushisa, sezishintshwe cishe ngokuphelele ngama-LED modules akhiqiza ukukhanya okufanayo ngenkathi esebenzisa u-90% kagesi ongaphansi. Ukuncipha kokusetshenziswa kukagesi lokhu kuhumusha ngqo ezindlekweni zokusebenza eziphansi zemikhandlu kanye nomkhondo wekhabhoni omncane kunethiwekhi yezokuthutha lonke. Ngaphezu kwalokho, izibani eziningi zesimanje zihlanganisa izilawuli zokukhanya eziguquguqukayo ezinciphisa izibani ebusuku ukunciphisa ukukhanya okubabazayo kubashayeli, bese zikhanya ngokuzenzakalelayo emini ukuze kugcinwe ukubonakala ngokumelene nelanga eliqinile. Izibani zethrafikhi ezisebenzisa ilanga sezithandwa kakhulu ezindaweni zasemakhaya kanye nezindawo ezisathuthuka lapho ugesi wegridi ungathenjwa noma ungatholakali, zinikeza isixazululo esizimele esingasebenza isikhathi esingenamkhawulo ngamandla avuselelekayo. Lezi zinto ezintsha eziluhlaza zihambisana nemizamo yomhlaba wonke yokunciphisa ukukhishwa kanye nokulwa noshintsho lwesimo sezulu, ziqinisekisa ukuthi ngisho nento eyaziwa kakhulu njengesibani sethrafikhi ingaba nomthelela esikhathini esizayo esisimeme. Noma ngabe uhlolaIkhayaikhasi lemikhiqizo yakamuva noma ukufunda imininingwane yezobuchwepheshe, uzobona ukuthi zonke izingxenye zesiginali yesimanje zakhiwe ngokuphepha nokusebenza kahle engqondweni.

Kusukela ezibani zikagesi ezikhanyayo zase-Victorian London kuya ezingxenyeni ezihlakaniphile, ezinamahloso eziningi zamanje, isibani sezimoto siye sabona ushintsho olufana nendaba ebanzi yentuthuko yezobuchwepheshe. Isikhathi ngasinye silethe izinselele zaso—ukuqhuma, ukwehluleka kukagesi, ukuminyana kwezimoto, kanye nesidingo sokufakwa kwabaningi—futhi inselele ngayinye yakhuthaza abasunguli nobuchwepheshe ukuthi balungise le divayisi. Kodwa-ke, umgomo oyinhloko uhlale ufana kakhulu: ukusebenzisa ukukhanya okumibalabala ukudlulisa imiyalelo elula, yomhlaba wonke evimbela izingozi futhi igcine izimoto zihamba. Lokhu kufana kuyisiboniso samandla omklamo omuhle, okufakazela ukuthi umbono owenzelwe kahle ungahlala isikhathi esingaphezu kwekhulu leminyaka ngenkathi usavumela ukuthuthukiswa okungapheli. Njengoba izimoto ezizihambelayo ziqala ukuhlanganyela umgwaqo nabashayeli babantu, indima yesibani sezimoto ingase isuke kumphathi oqondile wokuziphatha iye kudatha enkulu yesistimu yedijithali, kodwa ubukhona bayo buzohlala bubalulekile esikhathini esizayo esibonakalayo. Lokho okwaqala njengesivivinyo esibuthakathaka ngamagazi neglasi kuye kwaba insika ebalulekile yokuphepha komphakathi, futhi indaba yayo isabhalwa.

Ezamabhizinisi kanye nezamasipala ezifuna ukutshala imali kwezobuchwepheshe bakamuva bokulawula ithrafikhi, ukuqonda le nqubekela phambili kunikeza umongo obalulekile wokwenza izinqumo ezinolwazi. Izinhlelo zesimanje zinikeza amazinga okwethembeka, ukonga amandla, nokuzivumelanisa nezimo okwakubonakala sengathi kuyi-science fiction kuJ.P. Knight noma uGarrett Morgan, kodwa zakhelwe ngqo phezu kwezisekelo lawo ma-pioneer abeka phansi. Ngokukhetha imishini esezingeni eliphezulu evela kubakhiqizi abahlonishwayo, abahleli bezindlu zasemadolobheni banganciphisa izindleko zokugcinwa, bathuthukise ukuphepha kwezimpambano, futhi bathuthukise umuzwa wokushayela jikelele wezakhamuzi zabo. Uhambo oluvela emdwebeni wokuqala wokukhanya kwethrafikhi njengezinto ezisebenza ngegesi kuya kumalambu e-LED ahlakaniphile namuhla, kuyisikhumbuzo sokuthi inqubekela phambili ayenzeki ngobusuku obubodwa; ivela emashumini eminyaka wokuxazulula izinkinga ngokuphikelela kanye nokuzibophezela ekusindiseni izimpilo. Njengoba nicubungula izidingo zakho zengqalasizinda, kungaba yisiphambano esisodwa noma inethiwekhi yonke yedolobha, khumbula ukuthi ukukhanya ngalunye kwethrafikhi okumi eceleni komgwaqo akumele nje ucezu lwezingxenyekazi zekhompyutha, kodwa ikhulu leminyaka lobuchwepheshe olunikezelwe umgomo olula, onamandla wokubuyisa wonke umuntu ekhaya ngokuphepha.