Automatic Pedestrian Detection at Signalised Crossings

Hi everyone,

I recently noticed that many modern pedestrian crossings are equipped with automatic detection sensors that trigger the traffic signal without requiring a push button.

Currently, in OpenStreetMap, we can tag:

• highway=crossing and crossing=traffic_signals for signalised crossings
• button_operated=yes/no to indicate if a manual button is present
• traffic_signals:sound=yes/no for auditory signals

However, there is no standard way to indicate automatic activation by a detector for pedestrians or vehicles.

To address this, I have proposed a new tag on the OSM forum: detector_operated=yes/no, which would clearly indicate that a traffic signal is automatically triggered by a detector.

You can view and comment on the proposal here: https://community.openstreetmap.org/t/proposal-tag-traffic-signals-detector-operated-pedestrian-presence-sensor/141624

Here is an example illustration showing automatic pedestrian detection:

This tag would help improve mapping of intersections, pedestrian routing, traffic simulation, and accessibility information.

I’d love to hear your thoughts and experiences with automatic pedestrian detection at crossings in your area!