Non-intrusive vehicle detection system and incident detection system vs. traditional systems

Transport industry is striving to create a more sustainable, more efficient, and safer future by enhancing human perception through best-in-class intelligent imaging and sensing solutions. Approximately every year 1.24 million people globally die due to traffic accidents. Almost half of these deaths involve most vulnerable road users at urban and inter-urbane areas: motorcyclists, bicyclists, and pedestrians. Making roads safer for pedestrians and decreasing urban congestion are important objectives for governments. Traditionally inductive loop detectors and their accessories, e.g. electrical cables connecting point of detection to detector module in traffic signal controller or intelligent transport systems (ITS) cabinet, have been utilised to provide vehicle volume, lane occupancy, vehicle speed, per direction average speed, per lane average speed and headway data as a minimum. The loops as part of vehicle detection system (VDS) communicate real-time data to STREAMS, department of transport and main roads (TMR) traffic management system, at traffic control centres. Given purpose of application is traffic management via inductance, resistance and impedance measurements, transport industry is heading towards innovative technologies specifically at constraint environments. None-intrusive thermal imaging sensors with Wi-Fi option on gantry structures or poles enable traffic signals to implement immediate changes at intersections. In parallel weatherproof automatic incident detection (AID) systems operating in various climate conditions including foggy weather and heavy rain detect incidents such as collisions, stopped vehicles, wrong-way drivers and pedestrians in challenging lighting and weather limitations. Early fire detection within tunnels is another feature combined with the power of thermal imaging when required. Cities of the future will need future solutions – sensors that communicate with each other, with vehicle to everything (V2X)-enabled vehicles or infrastructure, analyse data to improve traffic flow, support long-term network planning, and provide 24/7 coverage to decrease accidents on the road. This presentation elaborates recent learnings on the smart solutions.