SCATS is based on the automatic plan selection from a library in response to the data derived from loop detectors or other road traffic sensors.
SCATS uses sensors at each traffic signal to detect vehicle presence in each lane and pedestrians waiting to cross at the local site.
Information collected from the vehicle sensors allows SCATS to calculate and adapt the timing of traffic signals in the network.
Should there be a telecommunication breakdown, the ATC junction controller concerned will switch to standalone mode and continue to function.
The central control server is a component of SCATS and inherently provide integrated motorway and arterial real-time management.
The adaptive operation determines control actions at 10 seconds intervals and applies some or all of the following strategies simultaneously: SRMS is currently used as the Auckland ramp metering system.
The configuration files prepared by authorities for the Central Manager, Region, SRMS and kerb-side controllers can be re-used without modification by SCATSIM.
SCATS was developed in Sydney, Australia by the New South Wales Department of Main Roads (a predecessor of Transport for NSW) in the 1970s.
[5] It is also used in New Zealand, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Amman, Tehran, Dublin, Rzeszów, Gdynia, Central New Jersey,[6] in part of Metro Atlanta,[7] and Cebu City,[8] among several other places.