Great Britain
A new data set will help autonomous vehicles operate safely in bad weather
Traffic technology today, 12.08.2021
The Radiate project, led by Heriot-Watt University, has published a new dataset that includes 200,000 images of road users, including other vehicles and pedestrians.
The data set solves a problem faced by manufacturers and researchers of autonomous vehicles. Until now, almost all available data has been based on images obtained in clear weather. This means that there was no available data that could help in the development of autonomous vehicles capable of operating safely in adverse weather conditions.
Professor Andrew Wallace and Dr. Sen Wan have been collecting data since 2019, when they equipped the van with detection and ranging equipment (LiDAR), radar and stereo cameras, as well as location-based devices. They traveled around Edinburgh and the Scottish Highlands to survey urban and rural roads at any time of the day or night, mostly in bad weather the weather.
"Data sets are essential for the development and testing of perception systems for autonomous vehicles," Wallace says. "We have passed many years from the fact that self-driving cars appeared on the streets, but autonomous vehicles are already being used in controlled conditions or on pilot sites. We have shown that radar can help autonomous vehicles navigate, map and interpret their environment in bad weather, when machine vision and LiDAR can fail."
The team says that by compiling images of all the objects their system detected on the roads, they have taken another step forward for researchers and manufacturers.
"In our dataset, we have tagged more than 200,000 road objects - bicycles, cars, pedestrians, road signs and other road users," explains Sen Wan. "We could use this data to help driverless vehicles navigate safely even in bad weather."
href="https://www.traffictechnologytoday.com/news/autonomous-vehicles/new-dataset-will-help-autonomous-vehicles-operate-safely-in-bad-weather.html">https://www.traffictechnologytoday.com/news/autonomous-vehicles/new-dataset-will-help-autonomous-vehicles-operate-safely-in-bad-weather.html
Canada
SMATS Traffic Solutions Selects Target data on Connected Vehicles from Wejo
Traffic technology today, 10.08.2021
SMATS Traffic Solutions, a Canadian company providing intelligent mobility and traffic management solutions, has decided to implement a high-resolution connected vehicle data transfer Wejo solution that will provide reliable, highly accurate and targeted traffic data. Wejo will allow SMATS to offer data as part of its SaaS solution, resulting in more accessible, accurate and extensive traffic data for customers.
High-resolution data on connected Wejo vehicles, provided through the Adept service and the SMATS iNode data analysis platform, will allow companies to access a large amount of historical and current data without the need to install physical sensors or maintenance in the future. Data can be accessed via cloud-based data exchange platforms while complying with privacy laws.
With Wejo, customers can access key indicators for corridor analysis, analysis intersections, source and endpoint analysis, and visualization of location data using the iNode platform. With 95% road coverage in the U.S. and the ability to send data from cars to customers in less than 32 seconds, Wejo and SMATS can provide fast and accurate traffic data.
Connected vehicles on the roads can produce up to 30 terabytes of data every day, making them centers with rich information for traffic planners and engineers. By combining high-resolution Wejo connected vehicle data with an accessible analytics platform and an experienced team, customers can easily access advanced, detailed and reliable traffic data.
China
Baidu launches a new generation multi-purpose autonomous minibus in Guangzhou
Traffic technology today, 11.08.2021
A new generation of multi-purpose autonomous minibuses is launched in China Guangzhou Huangpu district. The Baidu Apolong II bus is equipped with advanced autonomous driving capabilities and the latest technologies in the interior of the car, increasing the level of passenger comfort.
Apolong II can comprehensively meet the diverse needs of the market by providing customizable multi-purpose autonomous transportation solutions for public transportation, mobile police, healthcare providers and other commercial industry tasks.
The Apolong II minibus effectively reflects the powerful autonomous driving capabilities of Baidu's Apollo Robotaxi by incorporating the latest autonomous computing unit and a sensor system of its own design. Compared to its predecessor, the Apolong II has many upgrades allowing the Apolong II to operate on public roads. The computing power of Apolong II has tripled to 372 Tops. Its sensor system has been improved and includes two 40-channel LiDAR sensors that combine millimeter-wave radars and surround-view cameras. The advanced sensor system can now detect objects at a distance of up to 250 m, and the positioning accuracy and overall sensitivity has reached a new level.
Apolong II uses Baidu's "car to everything" (V2X) technology and 5G remote driving service to ensure safety and reliability. Thanks to seamless coordination between the car and the road, the problems associated with intelligent driving of individual vehicles can be reduced by 54%, while the number of emergency braking at intersections is reduced by 90%. Driving in the 5G cloud also allows the autonomous minibus to move safely and smoothly even in extreme conditions.
As the first commercial autonomous electric minibus launched in China, the Apolong series has been in mass production since July 2018. It is already used in 22 city parks in Beijing, Guangzhou, Xiong'an, Chongqing, Foshan and other cities - the first generation Apolong is the only minibus with automatic control that performs large-scale transport operations in China.
Guangzhou Huangpu District is considered the benchmark of the new intelligent transport infrastructure and is at the forefront of innovative autonomous driving technologies. In the future, Apolong II will perform multi-purpose commercial applications and provide citizens with the best possible opportunities for intelligent transportation through deployment in public parks, airports, business districts and residential neighborhoods in the Huangpu district of Guangzhou.
USA
North Texas Launches CAV Readiness Campaign
Traffic technology today, 11.08.2021
The Government Council of North and Central Texas (NCTCOG) has launched a new program that will help local governments plan for the use of transportation technologies, including automated and connected vehicles.
The Automated Vehicles 2.0 (AV2.0) program will build on the region's national leadership in automation and technology and public-private partnerships to support its growth and readiness. The AV2.0 program aims to make mobility planning resources available across the entire to help communities prepare for the introduction of transport technologies and look at the future use of technology in transport.
The $31 million program is divided into three parts: AV2.1, AV2.2 and AV2.3. With the recent launch of the $1 million initiative Connecting North Texas Communities with New Transportation Technologies, also known as AV2.1, NCTCOG will support local governments in short- and long-term planning.
The second element, AV2.2 (US$10 million), covers the costs of short-term technology deployment over the next two to four years. During the same period, AV2.3 will provide US$20 million for the implementation of regional strategic investments.
The AV2.1 planning phase, led by Kittelson & Associates, will provide services to local governments interested in technology preparation and deployment. AV2.1 planning support is designed to create a broad base of agencies and the community, understand the possibilities and inform how new technologies can be used to solve transport problems. AV2.1 consists of four stages project:
• May 2021 - August 2021: collection and assessment of the region's future mobility needs;
• August 2021 - February 2022: development and evaluation of potential future scenarios;
• February 2022 - April 2022: identification of best practices and funding opportunities;
• April 2022 - June 2022: informing management and preparing the final report.
The public is encouraged to participate in the project and exchange views on the transport needs of the region and the possibilities of meeting these needs using automated transport technologies.
The US Department of Transportation is looking for information about ready-to-implement AI applications
Traffic technology today, 11.08.2021
The US Department of Transportation (USDOT) has issued a Notice to contact sources to request public feedback on ready-to-implement applications that use artificial intelligence (AI) to meet the needs of intelligent transportation systems (ITS).
The goal of the U.S. Department of Transportation is to explore ways to improve the transportation system and improve safety, mobility, equity, accessibility, productivity, efficiency, and environmental impact of users. Ready-to-deploy ITS applications with AI support are those applications that have been successfully prototyped and tested to solve specific ITS tasks and are mature enough to integrate into existing ITS operations within 6-9 months.
The notification also contains information about existing opportunities in the development and deployment of ITS applications with AI support, which fall under one of the seven broad categories listed in the announcement. USDOT is particularly interested in answering the questions listed in the notification appendix. This feedback will help the US Department of Transportation in shaping potential investments in pilot deployments of ITS applications using AI.
For many years, the U.S. Department of Transportation has been a leader in research, development and evaluation of technologies for transportation and a strong advocate for the introduction and use of ITS. Big Part of this research is funded and managed by ITS Joint Program Office (JPO). The mission of ITS JPO is to lead collaborative and innovative research, development and pilot deployments, as well as to facilitate the implementation of ITS to improve the safety and mobility of people and goods.
Interested parties can find a Notification of available Sources here. The deadline for responding to the notification is September 10, 2021.
Commsignia's New Data Management Platform Optimizes Traffic Management V2X
Traffic technology today, 12.08.2021
Cities and road operators use V2X technologies to improve traffic conditions, reduce air pollution, transmit useful information to road users and support unmanned vehicles. The growing V2X infrastructure puts an additional burden on users and various stakeholders, as it generates more data than it can handle outdated traffic management systems. Commsignia Central is a device and data management platform that aims to solve this problem through automation and the ability to manage complex services. It offers a clear overview of what is happening in ITS V2X-enabled infrastructure, including roadside devices, peripherals and other smart sensors, so operators can focus on improving the efficiency of the road network.
Commsignia Central stores, processes and visualizes traffic information, allowing you to make decisions based on data. The software helps users maintain a consistently high level of service with intelligent features that continuously monitor the status and performance of V2X devices, as well as with incident reports that help them respond quickly. All information is available in a centralized location, which reduces the number of maintenance visits, thereby reducing operating costs.
With Commsignia Central, the broadcast information becomes simple and completely transparent. Operators get a simple in using a tool to automate these processes. The platform's control panel displays real-time feedback on message transactions, so operators can always be sure that messages have reached their destination.
"Communication with road users is becoming more and more challenging, and stakeholders should be prepared for the growth of self-driving vehicles and various micromobility services, each of which must exchange significant amounts of data for safe coexistence with other road users," says Joseph Kovacs, CEO of Commsignia. "Our V2X technology will be the key to making more accurate, automated and secure traffic management decisions."