A method for detecting a traffic situation, the detector and the control center

Optimisation of the signalling behaviour of a detector for a system for determining the traffic situation, and thus optimisation of the energy used by said detector and of the telecommunication resources expended relative to the transmission of traffic data, is made possible by a method for determining the traffic situation which uses a control centre and stationary detectors located in several points within a road network. The detectors each gather traffic data at their respective locations and transmit traffic data to the control centre according to a predefinable signalling behaviour state. Several signalling behaviour states are provided for for each detector, which states are selected at least in accordance with traffic data and define the signalling behaviour of the detector.