Belgium: SPIE and Flow Analytics pool their expertise to streamline urban mobility and smart flow management
Brussels, 25 November 2025 – SPIE Belgium, a subsidiary of the SPIE group, the independent European leader in multi-technical services in the areas of energy and communications, and Flow Analytics, a company that specialises in managing pedestrian and vehicle flows, announce the signing of a strategic partnership seeking to implement AI-based mobility solutions to streamline urban mobility, increase user safety and support the energy transition.
LiDAR will revolutionise flow management
The collaboration between SPIE and Flow Analytics is based on a pilot project carried out in Brussels, near the Atomium and King Baudouin Stadium. The system uses LiDAR sensors to build a 3D model of vehicle, cyclist and pedestrian movements, while ensuring the complete anonymity of the data collected. This technology, which has already been tested in Finland and Japan, makes it possible to analyse flows in real time for infrastructure adaptation and traffic optimisation, while reducing wait times at the most congested junctions.
"In SPIE, we have found a natural partner that is reliable, experienced and anchored in the reality of local infrastructure," explains Robin Lefrant, CEO of Flow Analytics. "SPIE's expertise in installing and maintaining complex systems perfectly complements our data-science and AI-based approach."
From artificial intelligence to real-world applications
Flow Analytics provides state-of-the-art technology that is capable of transforming millions of 3D data points into usable information: identification of the type of objects/people in motion, average vehicle speed, traffic density, anomaly detection, dynamic traffic light prioritisation etc., while SPIE ensures that the data analysis is relevant to the real world by integrating the solutions into the existing infrastructure (camera networks, traffic control cabinets, security systems), in particular, by drawing on in-depth knowledge of the technical constraints of such systems.
"We establish the link between the virtual world and physical reality," highlights Norman Kabir, Business Development Manager at SPIE Belgium. "Our role is to ensure the installation, compliance and operational security of the equipment, while guaranteeing data protection and confidentiality. We provide the raw technical ecosystem and supplement Flow Analytics' expertise with our knowledge of the real-world applications."
Promising results and tangible prospects
The initial results of the pilot project in Brussels are encouraging: based on the scenarios observed, we estimate an improvement of up to 30% in the flow of traffic in certain areas. This theoretical performance still needs to be tested, but, by way of comparison, a natural decrease in summer traffic generally does not exceed 15% in Brussels. These figures underline the significant potential offered by dynamic traffic management technologies, particularly in densely populated urban areas.
The two partners are already planning to roll out the system to other parts of the city and to airports, where the Flow Analytics technologies could also be used to improve the management of car parks, terminals and passenger flows.
A technological solution to urban challenges
Faced with infrastructure that is ageing in places*, SPIE and Flow Analytics are proposing a more accurate and responsive alternative that is based on predictive analysis and smart flow prioritisation in accordance with the time of day, traffic density and type of vehicles.
This partnership therefore responds to a growing need for towns and cities to implement interconnected solutions that respect privacy. The technologies used are fully GDPR-compliant as no personal data is collected and the systems only identify objects, not individuals.
SPIE Belgium and Flow Analytics presented the initial results of their partnership at the ITS.be (Intelligent Transport Systems) Congress, which took place in Brussels on 24 October 2025.
"The challenge is to demonstrate that technology can truly transform the urban experience without compromising security or confidentiality," concludes Robin Lefrant. "This partnership represents the first real evidence attesting to the fact that Belgium has everything it needs to become a European laboratory for smart mobility."
* Magnetic loop detection systems dating back to the 1960s are still used in some areas. Although useful and proven over time, they only offer a broad and minimally differentiated approach to flow management.