We’re taking a moment to look back at one of the first real-world deployments of our LiDAR-based mobility analysis: the Esplanadi pilot project in Helsinki. While this is not our latest project, it remains a meaningful milestone for our team and a strong reference point for what data-driven urban planning can achieve.
In 2023, the City of Helsinki redesigned Etelä- and Pohjois-Esplanadi to create a more people-centered urban environment. Two traffic lanes were removed to make room for wider sidewalks, a new bike lane, greenery, and public seating. This change supported the city’s broader goals around sustainable mobility and better use of public space.
To evaluate the impact of this transformation, Forum Virium Helsinki — the city's innovation company — sought new ways to understand how people were actually using the redesigned space. Although the city already had traffic analysis tools in place, Forum Virium launched a pilot to explore how light radar (LiDAR) technology could provide more detailed, real-time insights.
That’s where Flow Analytics came in.
The Challenge: Understanding Urban Transformation Beyond Traffic Counts
In 2023, the City of Helsinki launched a major redesign of Etelä- and Pohjois-Esplanadi. Two traffic lanes were reallocated to create more space for pedestrians, cyclists, urban greenery, and recreational seating. This transformation aligned with the city’s goals for sustainable, active mobility.
The city already had its own traffic analysis systems in place to monitor this initiative. However, the specific goal of the Esplanadi LiDAR pilot, initiated by Forum Virium Helsinki, was to explore what type of movement data light radars could provide and how such information could be used to improve safety and overall attractiveness in the future.
The Solution: LiDAR-Based Observation by Flow Analytics
Forum Virium selected Flow Analytics by AGC to execute the pilot. The team deployed three LiDAR sensors across over one hectare of Esplanadi, offering a full 360-degree view of the redesigned area. This solution captures real-time, anonymized 3D data—showing not only movement volumes but also route choices, stops, and interactions—without compromising privacy.
As the first LiDAR configuration tested in Helsinki, the pilot yielded valuable insights on:
- Pedestrian and cyclist movement patterns
- Use of new bike lanes
- Scooter and bike parking behaviors
- Near-miss traffic interactions
Despite its central urban setting and the challenges of winter weather, the deployment and operation were smooth.
“The team from Flow Analytics was very supportive and helpful throughout the pilot.”
— Jussi Knuuttila, Project Manager, Forum Virium Helsinki
The Results: Better Data and New Planning Tools
The pilot delivered high-resolution, behavior-focused data that gave the city deeper insights into the real-world impact of the redesign. Planners gained a much clearer understanding of how people actually used the space compared to traditional monitoring methods.
As part of the project, Forum Virium also developed a custom QGIS tool for the city’s traffic planners. This tool allows them to visualize and analyse trajectory data captured by LiDAR and acts as a resource that can be reused in future urban mobility projects.
What’s Next: A Look Back at Where It All Started
Esplanadi project was one of the first real-world deployments for Flow Analytics. While the project took place in 2023, it still stands out as a valuable moment in our development — both technically and as a team. It marked our first opportunity to operate in a live city environment, collaborate with a forward-thinking public partner, and validate our approach in practice.
It’s especially interesting to revisit the project now and see how much has changed. Our technology, project scope, and processes have all evolved significantly since then — but many of the foundations were laid during this collaboration.
As Jari Erämaa, Head of Product at Flow Analytics by AGC, put it:
"The collaboration provided us with an excellent opportunity to test new approaches and create references. Looking back, it’s striking to see how much we’ve evolved since then. Overall, the collaboration was efficient and fast.”
While our focus today is on new challenges in larger-scale projects, Esplanadi will always be where it started.