5G-Enabled Smart Traffic Lights: Performance Analysis and Real-World Implementation Challenges

IPEM Journal Computer Applications > 5G-Enabled Smart Traffic Lights: Performance Analysis and Real-World Implementation Challenges

5G-Enabled Smart Traffic Lights: Performance Analysis and Real-World Implementation Challenges

Shalini Aggarwal, Ayan Rajput

Vol 10 , Issue 1 , December 2025 | Pages: 29-37

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Published Online: December, 2025

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Author Details

1. Shalini Aggarwal, J P Institute of engineering and Technology, APJ Abdul Kalam University, Lucknow, UP, India
2. Ayan Rajput, J P Institute of engineering and Technology, APJ Abdul Kalam University, Lucknow, UP, India

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

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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: