Meet Vít and become a #TrafficTransformer, too!
The traffic systems we design, build, install and maintain are constantly evolving. And, our Research & Development teams are developing the very technologies that are changing the way we move, all over the world!
Meet Vít Holásek, a Software Architect for our IoT Device Management Project. Hear about his career with #TeamYunexTraffic so far and how traffic technologies are changing.
Can you tell us about your role and what you do?
I’m responsible for designing and communicating software architecture to key stakeholders and our Yunex Traffic Development team. It’s a technical role that overlaps with Project Management and I evaluate and select technologies that fulfil the specific requirements of a traffic solution. I also communicate with other architects to ensure any software successfully integrates and aligns with other solutions as required. But I still actively write code and learn new technologies. For me, just talking about the solutions is not good enough for a good Architect!
Right now, I’m working on an IoT Device Management project. Its aim is to use new technologies to connect and monitor all our hardware devices in the field. By doing so, we can make the maintenance of our devices more efficient and enable development teams to deliver new features faster.
How long have you worked in R&D?
I’ve worked in R&D for more than 5 years now having joined the company straight after I graduated from university. I love that I get to learn and try out state-of-the-art technologies every day. And I also enjoy communicating and sharing know-how with my colleagues across the business.
Are there any challenges within R&D?
The main challenge within R&D is keeping up with new technologies and trends which are rapidly changing all the time. Older solutions are becoming legacy, and we continue to maintain them, but at some point in time we need to replace them with new technology. Another challenge is delivering features and fixing bugs and security issues fast. The team and I can do this by focusing on continuous integration, continuous delivery principles and fully automated testing.
How has technology within our industry changed over recent years?
For me, one of the important changes has been the focus on security. 20 years ago, devices were connected to isolated networks or were completely offline. But networking and connectivity is so important for present-day use cases. The security and vulnerability management of our solutions is more important than ever before.
Detection technologies have also changed and what was once an expensive traffic detector can now be replaced by a simple camera. Neural network can then recognize vehicles and other road users with high accuracy in real-time.
Similar to other industries, software development is moving to the cloud and we are connecting all traffic devices to connected systems which enables us to efficiently monitor and work with our solutions and technologies from a remote location. This means we can keep our roads moving smoothly and safely without needing to wait for a team to visit the site to understand any issues that might be happening.
If you could name just one project that you loved working on at Yunex Traffic – what would this be and why?
I would have to say the Yutraffic sX traffic controller. You may think that this traffic controller is simply a box which is switching the traffic signal green, amber and red. But, it’s a really sophisticated and complex device. It has multiple safety mechanisms, can communicate with various sensors and can connect to several central traffic management systems over the network for enhanced traffic actuation. The best feeling for me was to see the result of my work in real life, on street, in the city where I live. You can find the sX controller all around the world too and I love that I get to see exactly how our work is helping other people every day.
What does the future of traffic in our cities look like to you?
Our cities are overcrowded with cars. I’m convinced that the future of transport in urban areas will be autonomous vehicles and an increase in public transport. There will be also more people using bikes or walking within our public spaces. Traffic control would change as a result but we will always need intelligent traffic management systems to ensure the fluency and safety of our roads – for all road users.
In the near future, we will also see more and more projects which are focused on the safety of drivers and pedestrians. An example is that the car can actually provide the driver with real-time information about the road conditions, weather and potential hazards, even avoiding collisions with other cars or pedestrians. In addition, having such infrastructure and technology is a real enabler for reliable autonomous mobility.
If you could say anything to a person considering R&D at Yunex Traffic – what advice would you give?
I would just say go for it! You can learn new technologies and develop the products which you can see all over the world. There is great culture here and you will also meet plenty of interesting people from other countries.
Feeling inspired? Become a Traffic Transformer! We have many opportunities for you to join us in the Research, Development and Engineering space. Check them out today by visiting jobs.yunextraffic.com.
