City | People and Bike Counting On Streets
People and bike counting on city streets
The SensMax TAC-B 4G radar together with the SPS20 solar power system is an outdoor radar people counter for smart city projects on streets, promenades and cycling routes. The system counts pedestrians, cyclists and scooter riders in both directions and delivers reliable statistics for mobility planning, street design and infrastructure investments.
The solution is fully GDPR compliant. it uses 60 GHz mmWave radar instead of cameras, so it does not record images or video and does not collect personal data. This makes it a safe people counting system for public spaces in modern smart cities.
Radar people counter with SPS20 solar power kit on a smart city street pole
Why people and bike counting matters in smart cities
City streets, walking areas and cycling lanes are key parts of urban life. Knowing how many people walk, cycle or use scooters on these routes helps municipalities understand how public space is used through the day, week and season. Outdoor people counting provides a factual base for decisions instead of manual observations or assumptions.
Accurate pedestrian and bike traffic data helps to:
- plan and evaluate sidewalks, cycling lanes and crossings,
- compare use of different streets, promenades and public spaces,
- measure the impact of mobility projects and street redesigns,
- support sustainable transport planning and car-free initiatives,
- prepare reports for urban mobility programs and funding applications.
Use cases for city streets and public spaces
The solution is suitable for many types of urban environments where cities need continuous, anonymous visitor statistics:
- busy city streets and pedestrian corridors,
- walking and cycling trails inside and around the city,
- river promenades and waterfront paths,
- tourist streets and historic districts,
- access routes to public transport stops,
- shared pedestrian–bike paths near parks and residential areas,
- public plazas and open city squares with mixed traffic.
People and bike counting sensor integrated into a smart city street setup
How the system works
The TAC-B 4G radar detects pedestrians, cyclists and scooters as they move across virtual counting lines on a street or cycling path. The sensor measures direction, speed and trajectory, allowing the system to count IN and OUT movements separately for both slow and fast-moving traffic.
- The radar identifies movement patterns of walking and cycling flows.
- Virtual counting lines determine IN/OUT direction for each object.
- Data is transmitted to the cloud through the built-in 4G modem.
- Counts appear in dashboards for hourly, daily and seasonal reporting.
- Integration options allow the data to be used in smart city platforms and BI systems.
All detection is anonymous, as the sensor measures motion only and does not produce images or video.
System architecture & data flow
The solution is organized into four functional layers that work together to provide outdoor people and bike counting without local power or internet infrastructure.
- Sensor layer – the TAC-B 4G radar processes movement events and prepares anonymous count data on the device.
- Connectivity layer – a built-in 4G/LTE modem delivers encrypted data directly to the SensMax Cloud. No Wi-Fi or wired network is required.
- Power layer – the SPS20 solar system provides continuous 12 V DC power and maintains a LiFePO4 battery for autonomous operation.
- Cloud & integration layer – SensMax Cloud receives and stores incoming data, creates dashboards and reports, and supplies API/MQTT endpoints for smart city integrations.
Typical system architecture: TAC-B radar → 4G/LTE → SensMax Cloud/API → dashboards and smart city platforms.
Key benefits for smart city streets
- Dedicated to street mobility projects. Continuous counting of pedestrians, cyclists and scooters on streets, promenades and shared paths.
- Reliable outdoor operation. Works in rain, fog, snow, bright sun and complete darkness.
- Off-grid installation. SPS20 solar power kit enables mounting on almost any street pole without cabling or local power.
- No local internet needed. The built-in 4G modem sends data directly to the cloud from each location.
- Large coverage area. One radar typically covers up to about 10 m street width and around 100 m² detection area.
- GDPR-compliant counting. No cameras, no images and no personal identifiers – only anonymous movement data.
- Low maintenance. No lenses or moving parts, IP68 housing and long-life LiFePO4 battery in the solar kit.
- Scalable for many locations. New sites can be added without local IT infrastructure.
- Easy data integration. Counts are available in SensMax Cloud and via API or MQTT for smart city platforms.
Performance and accuracy
The TAC-B radar is optimized for counting moving objects in outdoor environments such as sidewalks and cycling routes.
Typical performance values are:
- approximately 99 % counting accuracy at around 1 person/m² density,
- more than 93 % counting accuracy at around 3 persons/m² density.
Best results are achieved when sensors are mounted at 2.5–3 m height on street poles with a clear view across the path. The radar counts pedestrians, cyclists and scooter riders during day and night and is not affected by changing light conditions.
FAQ – common questions
What types of traffic does the system detect?
The radar detects pedestrians, cyclists and scooter riders moving through the detection zone and counts them with IN/OUT direction.
Is the solution GDPR compliant?
Yes. The system uses 60 GHz mmWave radar only. It does not capture images or video and does not store personal data, so it is compliant with GDPR requirements for public spaces.
How long does the system work without sun?
With the SPS20 solar power kit, the sensor can run up to 64–85 hours on battery backup, depending on configuration and conditions.
Does it work in bad weather?
Yes, the radar works in rain, fog, snow, bright sun and complete darkness. Light changes do not affect measurements.
What is the recommended installation height?
The best performance is typically at 2.5–3 m height on lamp posts, traffic light poles or similar structures with a clear view across the path.
Does the system require local internet?
No. The TAC-B 4G sensor has a built-in 4G modem and sends data directly to the SensMax Cloud. Local Wi-Fi is only needed if you use the TAC-B 3D-WP Wi-Fi version.
What maintenance is needed?
The system requires minimal maintenance. Periodic visual checks are recommended to ensure that the sensor and solar panel are not blocked or physically damaged.
Can we integrate the data into our smart city platform?
Yes. Data can be integrated via API or MQTT into platforms such as AWS IoT, Microsoft Azure IoT Hub or other city dashboards.
How long does installation take?
Installation is typically fast. The SPS20 solar kit is factory pre-wired, and after mounting the units and orienting the solar panel, the sensor is configured via mobile phone and starts working.
Is the system suitable for temporary projects?
Yes, it can also be used for temporary counts on specific streets or events because the off-grid design simplifies relocation.
Technical specifications
| Detection area | Approx. 100 m², up to ~10 m detection width depending on mounting |
| Counting accuracy | ≈ 99 % at around 1 person/m², > 93 % at around 3 persons/m² |
| Detected objects | Pedestrians, cyclists, scooter riders |
| Mounting height | Recommended 2.5–3 m on poles or similar structures |
| Connectivity | Built-in 4G/LTE modem, cloud reporting, data export via API and MQTT |
| Data backup | Internal SD card for local data storage during communication loss |
| Power supply | SPS20 solar power system with LiFePO4 battery, up to 64–85 hours backup |
| Operating conditions | Outdoor use, IP68 housing, suitable for rain, fog, snow, bright sun and darkness |
Download PDF documents
| SensMax TAC-B 4G sensor booklet | Download |
| SensMax SPS20 solar power booklet | Download |
| SensMax product catalog | Download |
Ready to discuss your project?
Want to monitor people and bike traffic on your city streets without cameras and with real-time data? Our team can help you choose the right setup with TAC-B 4G radar and SPS20 solar power for your locations.
