Seville readies LED traffic light switch

Taking up the gauntlet brashly thrown down a few weeks ago by Taiwan, the Spanish city of Seville has launched a diabolical scheme to replace its halogen and incandescent traffic lights with LEDs. The switch to the new system will be undertaken gradually and will cost the town nearly €2.3 million, but when complete will conserve 85% of the energy used previously. Seville plans to replace 22,170 lamps in total, which will reduce energy drain annually by 3.93 million KWh, or 800 residential homes. No word, however, on what the province plans to do about its "Barber" problem.

[Via AutoblogGreen]

[Trent @ Jul 16th 2007 3:19AM]

Why is this news? The US has been converting signals as they are replaced for the last 10 years or so. In my state alone the DOT mandated LED bulbs on all replacements more than 6 years ago and the cities have been using them longer than that (I can't even remember the last time I saw signals without LED bulbs). Not only are the LED bulbs easier to see in adverse lighting (such as sunlight perpendicular to the lamp), but they are cheaper to run and have lives that far exceed standard bulbs. The fact that it's taken Taiwan and Spain this long to move towards LED bulbs isn't a badge of honor for making the switch, it's a badge of shame for waiting so long to do it.

[Mike @ Jul 16th 2007 8:35AM]

It doesn't matter if others have been doing it for years. This is a big project for any municipality to undertake, never mind a huge city like Seville.

Way to go green Spaniards....

[Jimothy @ Jul 19th 2007 11:23PM]

@Mike: A "huge city like Seville"? Seville is a city of about 700,000 people, not a huge city.

[bender @ Jul 16th 2007 3:33AM]

I agree. Shame on you, Engadget for posting this non-news and praising Taiwan for being almost the last to the punch.
We've had these for years in Helsinki.

[Gustaf @ Jul 16th 2007 4:13AM]

yepp same in Sweden...

[Phil @ Jul 20th 2007 7:35AM]

Yes, same in Zurich, Switzerland

[JC @ Jul 16th 2007 5:15AM]

Uh... sorry to disappoint you but Taiwan's had LED signals since at least 8 years ago. They're definitely not last to the punch. And the pedestrian signal's even animated, which is a rarity.

[Nicholas FitzRoy-Dale @ Jul 16th 2007 5:21AM]

Ditto in Australia.

[gerald @ Jul 16th 2007 8:38AM]

same in vienna, austria

[Eddie Chen @ Jul 16th 2007 3:46AM]

Sorry I posted this just now in the earlier thread but I figured it would be more relevant here.

I am from Taiwan and I believe yes, there are some areas in the
country where a small portion of the drivers, like in other
countries, don't obey traffic rules. I was in rural Missouri for a
year as an exchange student and no one, literally no one stopped at
the stop sign. Okay about the LED lights, why is everyone feeling
hurt? I don't see why a pioneering national make-over policy would
not benefit the world. (I understand, by reading previous posts that
Singapore had done it and I have to say that people of Singapore is
very united and the nation is also small in size. Those could
contribute to the fact.) For many of you still think of Taiwan as a
country that makes the dollar-store toys, being a tech-enthusiast,
you should think of Taiwan generally as a post-developing country.
But after all America is where many of the technologies originated. I
do give credits to you guys for that!

[xbird @ Jul 16th 2007 3:48AM]

If you can't tell by now that all the traffic lights you have been driving under for a half-decade are LED units, then you clearly shouldn't be writing for a tech blog. Do you even know what an LED looks like?

[Russ @ Jul 16th 2007 3:58AM]

The LED traffic lights in Singapore display numbers counting down before they change.

Could be nice to have some scrolling stock prices, and weather - and least people would pay attention! :)

[Cetin Sert @ Jul 16th 2007 2:33PM]

These race-is-about-to-begin-kinda-count-down lamps are ubiquitous in Edirne, Turkey too. I remember crossing the street together with my friends countless times until it was green for the cars - just to make the drivers somewhat angry ^__^" I don't know if the lamps were LED though.

[Russell @ Jul 16th 2007 4:07AM]

Yeah these are literally everywhere and have been for years.

Yay research! Yay Beer!

[Gerry Lim @ Jul 16th 2007 5:11AM]

Did LED prices come down so much recently to make the switch worthwhile for Taiwan and for Seville? Or did the cost of electricity become so high due to sky-high energy costs that it's making the case for LED a given?

Consider that LED flashlights are still novelties. Consider that cars haven't been outfitted at all with LED's for illumination (maybe just for the dashboard).

It may be that Seville isn't a top dog in adapting LED usage to traffic lights, but for Taiwan to adopt LED not only for traffic lights but also for lighting the city, that is news.

[Leoedin @ Jul 16th 2007 7:22AM]

LED Flashlights are not a novelty - at least in the UK, they are pretty much standard. I haven't used a halogen or incandescent flashlight for years.

In addition - many cars and buses use LED's for tail lights. LED technology hasn't developed enough to be used for headlights - they simply aren't powerful enough - however they are used in a lot of modern cars as tail and indicator lights.

[Alexander @ Jul 16th 2007 7:29AM]

I'm willing to bet that BMW has some of those luxeon 3W LED bulbs inside a headlight on some desk of some engineer someplace. When we will see it, remains to be determined.

[moose48 @ Jul 16th 2007 5:15AM]

How any one from the US can criticize the Europeans on there energy policies as a "badge of shame beats me"

[Scott F @ Jul 16th 2007 6:30AM]

We got 'em too over in Ireland. They're also considerably brighter than the regular bulb ones. And look cooler!

[Karan @ Jul 16th 2007 6:52AM]

Talk about repackaging a week-old fish. I think the reason why this is suddenly "news", despite all the places who have been converting before out of sheer practicality (LED lifetimes would have to be much better than incandescents) is that it's about "energy saving" now. Hooray for the green movement!

[mattbrown @ Jul 16th 2007 7:05AM]

Who gives a rip? Wendell, NC (a town of roughly 3,000) has used LED lights for years. Maybe if you guys would stop twiddling your thumbs waiting for the next sign that blu-ray "will win the format war" then you might find something of value about which to write.

[WDUK @ Jul 16th 2007 7:18AM]

There's a petition going to get it introduced in UK traffic lights.
http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/ledtrafficlights/

Spread the word!

[Leoedin @ Jul 16th 2007 7:25AM]

But there is LED traffic lights in the UK.

In Edinburgh all new schemes use LED's - just look around and I'd be surprised if you didn't see some. Signing a petition to do what we're already doing is stupid.

Engadget has really let us down. They seem to be completely ignorant of the fact that LED traffic lights are already in use across the world.

Perhaps the only news in this is that Seville are entirely replacing their traffic lights, instead of just phasing out usage of the old type.

[wingnut @ Jul 16th 2007 7:43AM]

OK... lets get some facts right.. LED traffic lights... COMMONLY USED in far too many countries to go unnoticed. India to state as an example, has been running traffic lights made outta LED's for over 10 years i guess... So Wots new???? Y is this in the news? Beats me!

[rossum @ Jul 16th 2007 7:50AM]

Dear Engadget Writers,

Please take a moment, from time to time, to step away from the keyboard and take a walk outside. If that's too much to ask, then please take the time to peruse the comments on your own website. If you did either of these things, you'd know that LED traffic signals are EVERYWHERE. I'm all for applauding energy conservation on the part of governments, but these posts really just make you look out of touch.

Seriously, next time you draw the short straw and have to go on a Gatorade run, look at the damn traffic lights on your street. See how the big circles are made of tiny dots? Those are called LEDs.

[strider_mt2k @ Jul 16th 2007 8:31AM]

-or ask an intern or something...?


Plus you could point out that they are also safer because they are in an array.

A light bulb burns out and no signal.
With these, you can lose a dozen LEDs out of the array and you still know it's a red light.

-3 for obvious post
+4 for "Barber of Seville" reference

Total +1 points Engadget

Resume play!

[James @ Jul 16th 2007 9:06AM]

If the reporter had bothered to do any basic journalistic work, he would have discovered that, as many have now said, LED traffic lights have now been implemented in many cities across the world.

However, it wouldn't be so bad if this wasn't the second article of exactly the same nature. After hundreds of comments just like this one, the biggest worry is how the reporter failed to notice and went ahead putting this story on the net.

[gork @ Jul 16th 2007 9:08AM]

NOT news. Most definitely. I think EVERY stoplight I passed on the way to work was LED and 80 percent of the tail lights on the buses I ride are LED. Adding LED's to a stoplight is NOT gadget news.

[Alex @ Jul 16th 2007 9:52AM]

Same in Quito, Ecuador, the coolest city in the equatorial line.
Same in Santa Cruz do Sul, Brazil, home of the Kopp conpany, the traffic light masters.

[robhill45 @ Jul 16th 2007 10:03AM]

What is it with the need for commenters on this site to act like jerks? Did the article say that Taiwan or Seville were first? Did they say that LED traffic lights didn't exist elsewhere? Was this the only article Engadget published today so that it stole space and attention away from the latest gadget available only in Sri Lanka or the latest screensaver added to Vista or OS X?

Being first isn't all that matters - it's nice to know that efforts are being made, regardless of the motivation, that will result in saving energy, unless of course you're one of the commenters that puts "energy savings" in quotes to indicate that it's a laughable waste of time.

But, I guess if it makes you feel smarter and superior to be a jerk, have at it. My fault for reading the comments thinking there might actually be something intelligent and useful there.

[Mike @ Jul 16th 2007 10:58AM]

THANK YOU robhill45.....

I mean honestly... You guys are being complete jerks. What other city is replacing ALL of them, not just in new installs?

Look, if an article is non-news to you, then move on. Don't post about how you think your smarter than everyone else and be an ass about it.

[Patrick @ Jul 16th 2007 11:25AM]

New Orleans replaced ALL of theirs with LED models about 10 years ago.

And if New Orleans has made some sort of technological progress, you know it's old hat.

[teo @ Jul 16th 2007 11:40AM]

Sevilla not Seville

[PeaDot @ Jul 16th 2007 11:59AM]

So 800 residential homes? With a consumption of almost 5000KWh per year? Man, that is twice as much as our residential home consumes, including all the water being heated by electricity, a big american fridge and washing machine and dishwasher... Why them hell do I pay so much for energy and energy saving if the rest of the world doesn't seem to give a dough on energy consumption?! Atm I have to pay 1,53€ for a liter of fuel, thank god my car only consumes 4,5l/100km... As for electricity, I'd be better off paying for a 6MWh flatrate fed by cheap dirty russian atomic power... how pervert is that? Electricity is at 21ct./KWh, just for info...

[Shmoe @ Jul 16th 2007 12:05PM]

This is not news, my city has been converting for 10 years and is almost done.

[omf @ Jul 16th 2007 12:33PM]

My city is repainting the divider lines in my neighborhood. Should I send a message to the Engadget editor? ;)

[KC @ Jul 16th 2007 1:36PM]

How is this gadget news? Where can I buy one for personal use?

[XSportSeeker @ Jul 16th 2007 11:53PM]

Commentarists forgot the most important question evar: Are they going to install these in Boston?
OUCH!

[Christopher Whitmore @ Jul 17th 2007 12:53AM]

The NSW government in Australia introduced this plan in 2005. The undertook a pilot project in that same year and followed up with a new project that will see all of the city's lights replaced by the end of this year.

Engadget - while this may be wonderful news (the greener the better) you should consider a retraction for shaming every other city that has had the courage to do this earlier!

Press release here:
http://www.deus.nsw.gov.au/energy/Government%20Programs/NSW%20Treasury%20Loan%20Fund/Case%20Studies/Roads%20and%20Traffic%20Authority.pdf

[Octavio @ Jul 17th 2007 4:58AM]

The point with Seville is not that they are to change some of the ligts, this is done on every spanish city as they are updating any trafic ligh post it is changed to LEDs, the point is that they are to change every one even if it is still correctly working and not needing substitution.

If you travel around Spain you will find most of the traffic lights to be LEDs already.

Regards from Madrid ,Spain : Octavio

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[Bernard Ortcutt @ Sep 3rd 2007 2:32AM]

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