Kapsch TrafficCom Tunnel Management System Drives Brazil’s Largest Infrastructure Upgrade
Brazil’s southern city of Florianópolis has just stepped into the future of traffic control with a bold move to modernise its transport infrastructure.
At the heart of this transformation lies the successful deployment of cutting-edge tunnel management systems by Austrian tech powerhouse Kapsch TrafficCom. This project isn’t just another road upgrade – it’s the largest infrastructure investment in Brazil in recent memory, and it’s already reshaping how traffic flows across Santa Catarina.
A new era for the Greater Florianópolis Ring Road
Spanning 50 kilometres, the Greater Florianópolis Ring Road is managed by Autopista Litoral Sul, a concessionaire under the umbrella of Arteris. Designed to reroute heavy goods vehicles away from the congested BR-101, this ring road features four twin-tube tunnels, each roughly one kilometre in length and fitted with dual-lane carriageways.
Kapsch TrafficCom has outfitted all four tunnels with a sophisticated Tunnel Management System (TMS), marking its first-ever implementation of this technology in Brazil. This move isn’t just about convenience: it’s a strategic step toward safer, more efficient transport operations.
Ramiro Virreira, Executive Vice President for Latin America at Kapsch TrafficCom, emphasised the project’s significance: “The Greater Florianópolis Ring Road is one of the main urban road complexes in Brazil in recent years, so we are very proud to have contributed to this project with our technology.”
Total integration
This isn’t simply a matter of installing a few high-tech gadgets. Kapsch has provided a comprehensive suite of Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS), delivering and integrating a host of subsystems including:
- Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV)
- Fire detection and suppression
- Variable message signage
- Lane markers
- Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) systems with programmable logic controllers (PLCs)
- Emergency telephony
- Tunnel ventilation and air quality sensors
- Advanced lighting and electrical systems
Each of these components is synced through Kapsch’s centralised TMS platform. In effect, this creates a live dashboard view of tunnel conditions, making operations both proactive and reactive.
David Niño, ITS Systems Engineering Manager at Kapsch, explains: “In practice, our system integrates the management of all the equipment and subsystems in the four tunnels, for an integrated, automated and proactive operation, which helps operators guarantee safety, traffic flow and the satisfaction of road users.”
Globally, Kapsch TrafficCom’s technology currently monitors almost 200 kilometres of tunnels and more than 25,000 kilometres of roads around the clock. So Florianópolis is in good company.
Tunnel tech that thinks ahead
What makes the Kapsch system stand out is its capacity to deliver total situational awareness with minimal operator input. With a single interface, operators can manage lighting, detect smoke, identify slow-moving vehicles, communicate emergencies and guide traffic flow.
Niño continues: “It’s a system that brings together all the subsystems needed for tunnel management in a single environment and provides a global view of the entire infrastructure through a single system, giving operators total situational awareness and control from a single interface.”
Tunnels, by nature, are tricky environments. Visibility is limited, airflow is tightly controlled, and accidents or breakdowns can rapidly spiral into major hazards. That’s where the predictive power of automation comes in. The system constantly analyses sensor inputs, helping teams to intervene before small problems turn into major ones.
Brazil’s smart roads movement is picking up speed
This installation is part of a broader push across Brazil to modernise critical transport infrastructure. With sprawling cities, rising vehicle ownership, and growing logistics demands, Brazil is under pressure to reduce congestion and increase safety. And tunnel systems, with their high cost and high risk, are a key testing ground.
Kapsch TrafficCom’s track record in over 50 countries made it a natural choice for this milestone project. The company is known for end-to-end traffic solutions, from tolling systems to demand management and smart mobility platforms.
More importantly, their one-stop-shop model – offering everything from hardware to full-system design, integration and operation – delivers peace of mind for project owners. There’s no finger-pointing when something needs tweaking. Just results.
A blueprint for future tunnel safety
The real success of the Florianópolis upgrade lies in its replicability. By proving that a single, integrated TMS can handle complex tunnel systems in real time, this project sets the bar for future road development across Latin America.
It also aligns with global ambitions to improve road safety, decarbonise transport networks, and introduce digital infrastructure into public works. Intelligent tunnel management doesn’t just prevent incidents – it also reduces idle times, cuts emissions, and saves on long-term maintenance.
And let’s not forget the road users. For drivers, the experience is noticeably smoother. Dynamic signage adapts in real time, visibility is optimised through smart lighting, and any problems are responded to quickly. In other words, it’s a smarter, safer drive.
Lighting the way forward
Brazil’s biggest infrastructure initiative in years is now also one of its smartest. With the help of Kapsch TrafficCom’s high-tech solutions, Florianópolis has taken a major leap toward the future of road mobility.
For policy makers and industry stakeholders alike, this project is a timely reminder: investing in integrated digital systems isn’t just about innovation – it’s about saving lives, improving user experiences, and setting new standards for infrastructure excellence.
