Abstract
This paper examines 5G-enabled smart traffic light systems, analyzing their performance, architecture, and deployment challenges. Through systematic evaluation of latency, throughput, and real-world implementations, we identify critical success factors for system effectiveness. 5G technology delivers significant improvements through ultra-reliable low-latency communication (URLLC), reducing latency to 1-5ms compared to 4G’s 30-50ms. However, substantial barriers exist including high infrastructure costs, cyber security vulnerabilities, and complex legacy system integration challenges. Our analysis presents comparative performance data, cost-benefit evaluations, and proposes a phased municipal deployment framework. Findings demonstrate that successful implementation requires addressing technical interoperability issues, establishing robust security protocols, and developing comprehensive stakeholder engagement strategies. This research contributes to next-generation traffic management knowledge, providing actionable insights for urban planners, traffic engineers, and policymakers navigating the transformation toward intelligent transportation systems enhanced by 5G wireless technology.
Keywords
- 5G networks
- intelligent transportation systems
- smart traffic lights
- V2X communication
- edge computing
- urban traffic management
- URLLC
Author affiliations
- Shalini Aggarwal, J P Institute of engineering and Technology, APJ Abdul Kalam University, Lucknow, UP, India
- Ayan Rajput, J P Institute of engineering and Technology, APJ Abdul Kalam University, Lucknow, UP, India
How to cite
Aggarwal and A. Rajput, “5G-enabled smart traffic lights: Performance analysis and real-world implementation challenges,” IPEM Journal of Computer Application & Research, vol. 10, pp. 29–37, Dec. 2025.doi: