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Flow Labs, Leading Transportation Artificial Intelligence Company, Joins #FREEtheMIBS Campaign

Predictive Traffic Control solution provider broadens the coalition’s membership and reach.

March 4, 2021

Flow Labs, a California-based transportation technology solution provider specializing in Predictive Traffic Control and cloud-based artificial intelligence (AI), is the #FREEtheMIBS campaign’s newest member. The announcement was made today by campaign founding partner, Tom Stiles. The company, whose core product automatically manages modifications in traffic signal timing, brings a new perspective to the open MIBs campaign.

Flow Labs Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Jatish Patel says open standards will be crucial in defining the future of transportation. “At Flow Labs we’re committed to providing cleaner, clearer and safer roads for everyone,” he said. “For smart cities to deliver on their promise of improving lives, raising communities and using funds wisely, vendors must open their protocols so traffic systems can communicate. We’re proud to join this campaign to help remove restrictive barriers that are limiting competition and costing taxpayers millions.”

Often kept proprietary by manufacturers, MIBs are the common language protocols used in communication between central traffic management systems and ITS devices, including traffic signal controllers. By keeping their MIBs proprietary, some manufacturers believe they can extend agency contracts for years, locking out more cost-effective and innovative solutions that are unable to communicate with legacy equipment.  

Stiles welcomed Flow Labs noting that the range of campaign members is quickly broadening. “As an artificial intelligence company solely focused on transportation, Flow Labs is by definition forward-thinking,” he said, “Our ambassadors now represent a broad cross section of the entire traffic management industry from small to large, established to new. We’re thrilled to have Flow Labs as a member.”

Flow Labs’ Predictive Traffic Control solution allows agencies to fully automate signal timing across an entire traffic network. Traditionally, a process that can take years, Flow Labs’ solution can adjust timings monthly at a fraction of the cost and worker-hours. The company counts among its clients the Utah Department of Transportation, an early #FREEtheMIBS advocate.

The #FREEtheMIBs campaign began in November 2019 and continues to spark conversations that will transform the industry. In January 2021, the campaign announced the formation of an advisory board selected from the broadest spectrum of transportation management including private industry, public agencies, consultants and academia. In its first meeting, the board committed to starting a new industry-wide advocacy and education campaign to bring greater awareness to the critical open standards issue.

For more information on the campaign, please visit us at FREEtheMIBS.org.

About FREEtheMIBS

#FREEtheMIBS is a collaborative campaign to encourage traffic signal controller and ITS device manufacturers, and public sector agencies to unite behind opening and sharing device NTCIP protocols – specifically, management information bases (MIBs). To learn more about the freeing the MIBs or to join the movement, visit FREEtheMIBS.org.

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About Flow Labs

Flow Labs is a California-based transportation technology company, focused on using artificial intelligence, machine learning and other cloud computing products to make roads cleaner, clearer and safer. Founded in 2018, the company has built and deployed the world’s first autonomous traffic management platform, designed to provide city, regional and state transportation agencies with scalable cloud-based solutions. Flow Labs’ products empower transportation agencies and often low-staffed traffic operations teams with tools to maximize their productivity and manage all of their key workflows at the click of a button. Their overriding mission is to eliminate congestion, improve traffic flow and give time back to everyone.

Learn more at https://www.flowlabs.ai or follow them on Twitter and LinkedIn.