Queensland council becomes first in Australia to use AI traffic lightsA Queensland council will become the first in Australia to give the green light to a new use of AI technology.David Hannantless than 2 min readJuly 6, 2026 - 8:39PMNewsWireA Queensland council has given the green light to a surprising new use of AI technology.In what is believed to be an Aussie first, the City of Moreton Bay has agreed to introduce AI-powered traffic lights to its junctions.The cutting-edge technology will set new sequences at the junctions in a bid to reduce the amount of time people spend sitting at red lights.Currently the lights are sequenced using a system that has been in place since the 1980s, known as a “first come, first served” basis.The Moreton Parade intersection, where Australia's first AI traffic lights will sit. Picture: City of Moreton Bay CouncilBut the AI signals will run on a “movement-based” control system, without being tied to a specific sequence.Mayor Peter Flannery said the change promised to be a “game-changer”.Others you may likenewsnews“We’re excited to be the first in Australia to trial technology that has the very real potential to improve the flow of traffic around our road network,” he said.“The technology effectively uses both AI and advanced algorithms to inform optimised traffic operations under a new traffic management approach.“This means that higher traffic flows of vehicles, including public transport, can be prioritised dynamically through the day.”It will potentially mean that if a certain route has a heavier flow of traffic on a specific day, the sequencing can be adjusted to help clear the congestion. The AI signals will run on a ‘movement-based’ control system.“There is the potential to substantially reduce the time motorists spend unnecessarily sitting at red lights, which is often constrained by legacy traffic control methods, and this can be extremely frustrating especially when there are no cars in sight,” Mr Flannery added.More Coverage‘Control us’: Taylor vows AI actionJoseph Olbrycht-Palmer“This presents the opportunity to reduce emissions as vehicles will idle less at traffic lights.”The new traffic lights will first be installed at the junction of Moreton Parade and Paper Ave in Petrie later this year.If it proves successful, the council will then test it at more complex junctions in its road network.Read related topics:BrisbaneMore related storiesSocial MediaElon Musk’s shocking X policy changeX Corp has been condemned for “dangerous” policy changes after Elon Musk acquired the platform in a multi-billion dollar deal.Read moreInnovationData centre explosion in Aus triggers tax rageIt’s comparable to some of the biggest booms in Australia’s economic history – but questions remain over if the benefits will flow offshore.Read moreMilitary‘Losing his war’: Putin facing defeatForget the drones and missiles. Ukraine has a secret weapon holding the line against impossible odds, and it’s truly astounding.Read more