Low-Cost Automated Zebra Crossing System with Actuated Safety Barrier

Abstract

Pedestrian safety is a key global concern due  to increased urbanisation, traffic congestion, and a lack  of pedestrian-friendly infrastructure.   This paper  presents a low-cost automated zebra crossing system  that uses ultrasonic sensors and an Arduino-based  control system to improve pedestrian safety.  The system  automates destrian crossing by recognizing pedestrian  presence, initiating a safety flapping mechanism, and  regulating traffic lights without requiring operator  involvement.   The performance evaluation revealed  pedestrian detection accuracies of 98.57% (incremental)  and 97.14% (decremental), with safety flapper reaction  times of ±50ms. Power consumption analysis indicated a  total load of 3.6 W, supporting solar-powered  applications. Comparative assessment showed that the  proposed system achieved accuracy levels similar to  advanced sensor-based crosswalk systems while  reducing cost by over 70%.  The system offers a scalable  and cost-efficient approach for deployment in resource constrained  urban environments, with future  improvements directed towards IoT integration for  adaptive, real-time traffic control.