USA
North Carolina is testing a UAV for traffic control in case of an accident
Traffic Technology Today, 22.02.2022
The North Carolina Department of Transportation is testing the use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) on Accident Assistance Patrol vehicles (IMAP).
The UAVs are designed to assist response services in assessing accidents, provide situational awareness of the State Transportation Operations Center (STOC) and Traffic Control Centers (TMC), as well as assist in general traffic management during an accident. The introduction of this technology was carried out as a result of receiving a federal innovation grant in 2020.
Traditionally, traffic service employees view video streams in STOC/TMC through stationary traffic cameras or receive reports from rescuers on the ground. UAVs offer a secure way to provide more information in real time with high quality video and over long periods of time.
The UAV can fly at an altitude of up to 50 meters to shoot video and broadcast it live to STOC/TMC, as well as emergency management personnel during an accident. This information can provide a safer environment for those who are at the scene of an accident or approaching it, and allows centers to better manage traffic and share accurate information with the public. UAV systems are very portable and can be deployed quickly on patrol vehicles of emergency services.
The consortium of automated buses intends to purchase 70 highly automated full-size buses
Intelligent Transport, 22.02.2022
The Consortium of Automated Buses, an association of transportation agencies and departments of transportation of US states, announced a request for proposals (RFP) for the purchase of up to 70 full–size automated level 4 buses. According to the definition of the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE), level 4 is the designation of highly automated vehicles.
Buses operating under pre-defined conditions will still have drivers. These vehicles will be used on experimental routes selected by each participating agency, which will allow collecting information about the results of automation.
The request for proposals represents the first ever purchase of automated full-size buses with rechargeable batteries. The consortium itself is the first of its kind approach to assessing the feasibility of automated bus projects and accelerating the deployment of automated transport technologies.
By combining the purchasing power of several agencies in the United States, the Automated Bus Consortium aims to accelerate the introduction of modern automated functions focused on transport safety, which are not yet represented in the industry. These functions are designed to help the bus driver maneuver safely and improve service reliability. The consortium intends to select suppliers by the summer of 2022 and receive a prototype bus for testing and certification at the end of 2023.
https://www.intelligenttransport.com/transport-news/132928/automated-bus-consortium-acquisition/
GeneralMotors submits a petition to develop an autonomous car without a driver
Traffic Technology Today, 24.02.2022
The division of General Motors for the development of autonomous vehicles announced that it is officially submitting a petition to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration NHTSA for permission to develop a driverless car – Cruise Origin.
Cruise Origin is a zero–emission electric utility vehicle that will be specially designed to operate without a human driver. The car will not have a driver's seat and human-oriented controls, such as a steering wheel.
According to the petition of General Motors, the new autonomous electric car will be produced in the United States and will ensure equal access to transportation services for all categories of the population, including the elderly and visually impaired people.
Deployment of priority system for emergency vehicles
Traffic Technology Today, 24.02.2022
LYT, a company engaged in intelligent traffic management solutions, has signed a contract to integrate its LYT.emergency technology into the Safe and Intelligent Corridor project in Fairmont, California.
The average daily traffic intensity on the central street of Fremont ranges from 25,000 to 40,000 vehicles per day, which has been identified as a street with a safety priority in the Fremont Vision Zero action plan. The LYT.emergency "Priority of Emergency Services" (EVP) solution will allow emergency response vehicles to move through heavily used intersections faster and safer.
When using the EVP solution from LYT for emergency vehicles, the green color is automatically turned on at intersections. This is achieved through just one device installed in traffic control centers, which allows emergency vehicles to interact directly with traffic lights via the LYT cloud platform.
EVP currently operates at eight intersections in Fremont, but after the completion of the project in the fall of 2022, the system will operate at 37 intersections. The project also includes a five-year maintenance agreement, automatic system updates, special technical support and training.
United Kingdom
Testing the system of giving priority to pedestrians at intersections
Traffic Technology Today, 24.02.2022
Transport for London (TfL) has published new data that shows how innovative Green Person Authority traffic lights can make pedestrian traffic in the capital safer and more convenient.
In May 2021, TfL installed new technology at 18 intersections. Traffic lights turn on a continuous green signal to pedestrians until an approaching vehicle is detected. The pedestrian signal then changes to red, allowing the vehicle to cross the intersection before returning to the green pedestrian signal.
New research data shows that pedestrian priority signals reduce travel time for pedestrians and increase comfort and safety. According to the results of the tests, the time of the green signal to pedestrians increased by an average of 56 minutes per day. By reducing the waiting time for the green signal, the total time saved by all pedestrians averaged 1.3 hours per day.
The data also show that the signals had almost no effect on the movement of buses and other vehicles.
Improving pedestrian safety is crucial to fulfilling Vision Zero's commitment to eliminate deaths and injuries on London's roads.
Based on the test results, TfL evaluates how the technology can be improved and used in the future.