Innovative city lighting project launched in Regensburg

The AI-controlled lamps use optical sensors to detect and classify pedestrians and cyclists in real time in order to illuminate the required section of path in a targeted manner. As soon as there are no people on the sidewalk, the lamps only shine at a minimalist intensity in order to keep energy consumption low. Issues such as sustainability and environmental protection also play a role, explains Wolfgang Sczygiol, Managing Director of electrical systems supplier SDP GmbH, which is providing the innovative technology: “Normally, lamps are lit at full strength all night long. These lamps only light up when people are detected. The lighting is dimmed up if necessary and then slowly dimmed again as soon as the person is further away. This also allows us to be considerate of residents and nocturnal insects, which are disturbed in their natural behavior by artificial light.”

The SDP project is initially running in test mode with 20 smart parking lights in the Dörnberg district along “Radlroute 5”. The project will be continuously evaluated during the one-year test phase. Feedback from residents helps with the further development of the smart lighting, among other things. After successful completion, the extent to which an expansion of the smart park lighting to other areas of the city is conceivable and which development steps are still necessary for this will be evaluated, says Anne Häner, project manager at TechBase Regensburg GmbH in the Mobility & Logistics cluster based there. “In future developments, additional safety functions such as information displays, alarm buttons or adjustments to the design can then also be addressed.” The technical implementation of the project is being handled by sdp GmbH, while the Mobility & Logistics cluster based at TechBase Regensburg is responsible for project coordination. Other cooperation partners are the City of Regensburg s Parks Department and Civil Engineering Department. The Smart Dynamic Public Lighting project is a use case in the R_Lab Mobility.