Smart transportation 101: Why secure, edge AI-backed strategy is the foundation for success

A traffic signal that adapts in real-time to ease congestion. A connected vehicle that warns drivers of black ice ahead. An ambulance that gets priority at every intersection on its route to an emergency.

These are all examples of smart transportation technology already transforming how we move through cities and states. The stakes couldn’t be higher — and understanding what ‘smart transportation’ really means is the first step to getting it right.

Smart transportation leverages interconnected technologies to help cities and states better allocate resources, reduce energy consumption, cut costs, and provide a more inclusive and equitable experience for communities. At its core are smart technologies: connected, data-driven systems that use sensors, automation, and analytics to collect and act on information autonomously, continuously adapting to real-time conditions rather than simply following pre-programmed instructions.

But beyond efficiency gains, these systems are also becoming vital for public safety, from managing emergency response times to protecting drivers, transit users, cyclists, and pedestrians from danger.

As these networks grow more connected and automated, they demand a new approach: one where robust cybersecurity and intelligent edge computing work together to protect lives and maintain the critical services communities depend on every day.

The collision of cybersecurity and AI

Understanding this new landscape requires looking at how smart transportation technologies nest within each other — each layer expanding capabilities while amplifying both opportunities and risks.

At the foundation sits intelligent transportation systems (ITS), the broadest infrastructure — integrated systems using sensors, connected devices, and analytics to monitor and manage traffic flow, signals, tolling, transit operations, and more. 

Within this ITS infrastructure, vehicle-to-everything communications (V2X) enable a vast network of real-time data exchange between vehicles, traffic signals, emergency systems, pedestrian devices, and other infrastructure — sharing information about road conditions, hazards, and traffic patterns.

Among the various participants in this V2X ecosystem, connected and automated vehicles (CAVs) represent a particularly transformative category: vehicles with internet connectivity and varying levels of automation that can not only receive information but actively respond to their environment and coordinate with surrounding systems in real time.

From ITS infrastructure upgrades to V2X pilot programs to CAV-ready corridors, cities and states across the US are actively investing in developing and implementing smart systems to improve efficiency, safety, and mobility. 

But as these systems grow more connected, they also become more vulnerable.

Key risks and challenges in smart transportation 

The same connectivity that enables innovation introduces new vulnerabilities. Following are key risks transportation managers need to be aware of — and guard against:

1. Growing connectivity means growing cyber risk. Every connected device — from traffic cameras to in-vehicle systems — represents a potential entry point for cyberattacks.
   
   A compromised traffic management system or connected vehicle network can present a public safety crisis that could delay emergency responders, cause gridlock, or worse.
   
2. Public safety stakes are immediate — and potentially catastrophic. When these systems fail or are breached, they can pose existential threats. State and city transportation agencies must contend with risks from criminals, terrorists, and nation-state adversaries who could manipulate traffic signals to cause crashes at every intersection or grind entire cities to a halt in gridlock.
   
   Attackers could intercept payment credentials at EV charging stations, knock critical charging infrastructure offline, or disable crash detection systems precisely when they're needed most.
   
   Even without malicious attacks, poorly maintained or outdated systems can leave emergency vehicles stuck in traffic unable to reach those who need help, or allow accidents to go undetected until it's too late.
   
3. Bandwidth constraints are mounting. Smart transportation systems generate massive amounts of data — video feeds from traffic cameras are particularly data-intensive, but connected vehicles, sensors, and infrastructure devices all contribute to the growing demand.
   
   Backhauling all this data to centralized cloud systems quickly overwhelms network capacity, creating bottlenecks that can compromise system performance. Edge processing is critical to filter, analyze, and act on data locally rather than transmitting everything across constrained networks.
   
4. Latency undermines real-time operations. In smart transportation, milliseconds matter. A connected vehicle detecting black ice, a traffic signal coordinating with approaching emergency vehicles, an automated system identifying an accident — these scenarios require split-second decisions and responses. Cloud-based processing introduces delays that prevent these systems from operating effectively, undermining the very efficiencies and capabilities they were designed to provide.
   

The upside: When implemented securely and with edge computing, smart transportation delivers on its promise. 

Making transportation smarter and safer

When secure, smart transportation delivers transformative results that save lives and improve how cities function. Consider the range of what’s possible:

• Crash detection systems become true lifesavers. Sensors and connected vehicles can identify collisions the moment they occur and automatically alert emergency services with precise location data, shaving critical minutes off response times. In remote areas or on highways where crashes might otherwise go unnoticed, this capability can mean the difference between life and death.
  
• Pedestrian safety reaches new levels. Smart crosswalks equipped with detection technology can identify when someone is crossing — even if a driver doesn't see them — and alert both the vehicle and adjust signal timing to prevent accidents.
  
  For vulnerable populations like children, elderly residents, and people with disabilities, these systems create safer, more accessible streets.
  
• Emergency response is seamlessly coordinated. When an ambulance, fire truck, or police vehicle is en route to a crisis, connected traffic management systems can prioritize their path in real-time — turning lights green, alerting other drivers, and calculating the fastest route based on current conditions. Every second saved can be the difference in an emergency outcome.

Leveraging edge AI and cybersecurity for effective smart transportation

The societal benefits of smart transportation are immense. But they can only materialize when security is the technology foundation. With robust cybersecurity measures, including secure, plug-and-play combinations of edge AI and cybersecurity, agencies can deploy smart transportation solutions with confidence.

Edge AI deployments solve the infrastructure challenge by processing data locally, keeping response times low and reducing network burden — while also minimizing the attack surface by limiting data transmission to the cloud. 

Paired with quantum-resilient encryption, zero-trust networking, and built-in update mechanisms, these measures make thousands of distributed ITS devices resilient against evolving threats from day one.

Ultimately, proactive cybersecurity and infrastructure strategy empower municipal and state transportation agencies to stay ahead of a range of threats — while keeping roads safer and smarter for the public.

Intelligent transportation systems are only as safe as the security behind them. Contact our team to discuss your transportation system needs.

Image: iStock | Josh Kizziar Photography