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January 2018

Winter hazard removal


ITS is cutting down on
crashes in the snow and ice
Toll bridge technology
The UK’s newest crossing is
designed for the future

WWW.TRAFFICTECHNOLOGYTODAY.COM

AI
maps
Why high-definition
3D maps – automatically updated by sensors
and software – are game-changing tools for
road designers and traffic planners
G
URIN
FEAT
| Connected streetlights | Communication blackspots
How one Washington city is leading In Wyoming, the USDOT’s Connected
Your essential guide to the future of the way in a streetlight-based Vehicle Pilot is confronting challenges
transportation communications Internet of Things revolution of rural coverage and DSRC shadows
Flow
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| In This Issue


Cover story

22 AI maps
Real-time updates mean 3D maps are almost organic in the way they are built
David Smith looks at how such technology, developed for autonomous vehicles, has useful applications for road authorities

News 12 Comtrans
04 NYC gets connected 45 A working relationship
An update from the USDOT’s Connected Vehicle Pilot Toyota is investigating how humans interact with
connected and autonomous vehicle technologies
06 Autonomy ahead
The latest automated vehicle news 46 Communication black spots
James Gordon provides an update on the USDOT
28
08 All ready in Rotterdam connected vehicle pilot solving rural coverage issues
Our Dutch focus starts ahead of Intertraffic Amsterdam
52 Lighting the way
10 Stay secure Smart streetlighting is proving important for
The most important, recent cybersecurity stories communication infrastructure, by Michael Donlevy

36 Regulars
Interview
59 Our man in Amsterdam by Richard Butter
12 Trond Hovland A change of mindset is needed to reduce congestion
The ITS Norway MD explains why he loves his job and
why cooperation is the key to future mobility 63 Driving revenue by JJ Eden
Once derided, electric vehicles are now the future
Features 46 67 The long view by Larry Yermack
16 Intertraffic Amsterdam A united, coordinated transportation policy
is needed
Find out about the new ITSUP mobility event for
startups and other key highlights at the 2018 expo 71 The road ahead by Don Hunt
Autonomous technology can’t come soon enough
28 Open for business
Jack Roper reports on the success of England’s new 52
72 Express lanes
free-flow tolling facility: the Mersey Gateway Bridge Quick routes to the most important developments
you’ll find in this magazine – and beyond!
36 Remove winter hazards
Saul Wordsworth discovers ITS in Colorado that
is helping to keep its roads safe during winter

January 2018 Traffic Technology International


www.TrafficTechnologyToday.com 001
In This Issue |

58 Technology Profiles
58 Using deep learning 66 Managing traffic with
to 3D map Japan a single data platform Editor
Yoko Hiji, Zenrin, Japan Tim Daniels, Videalert, UK Tom Stone (tom.stone@ukimediaevents.com)
Deputy editor
60 Implementing a new 68 The binary dilemma Rachelle Harry
60 Knut Evensen, Q-Free, Australia (rachelle.harry@ukimediaevents.com)
weigh-in-motion standard
Assistant editor
Cock Oosterman, NMi Italia, Italy
70 Cutting-edge technology James Allen (james.allen@ukimediaevents.com)

62 Reducing emissions to reduce traffic fatalities Production editor


Alex Bradley
in the city in Jordan Chief sub editor
Erik Roberts, Dynniq, UK Cross Zlín, Czech Republic Andrew Pickering
Deputy production editor
62 Nick Shepherd
64 Finding common Senior sub editor
communications in Christine Velarde
Sub editors
sensor technology Tara Craig, Alasdair Morton
Tomasz Burghardt, Swarco, Austria Design team
Andy Bass, Anna Davie, Louise Green,
Andrew Locke, Craig Marshall, James Sutcliffe,
Nicola Turner, Julie Welby, Ben White
Join our group via the banner at Head of production and logistics
Ian Donovan

Editor’s letter
www.traffictechnologytoday.com
Deputy production manager
Robyn Skalsky
Production team
Carole Doran, Bethany Gill, Frank Millard,
George Spreckley
Last summer I drove from the January 2017

to avoid fallen trees and potholes – and road Subscription updates


southeast of England to Wigan, authorities will be able to use them to address
When bridges fail…
…and the technology that can
prevent it from happening
Weather proofing
Innovative ways to protect
roads from adverse conditions datachanges@ukimediaevents.com
in the northwest, for my brother’s these same types of issues. The data is so rich that
WWW.TRAFFICTECHNOLOGYTODAY.COM

wedding. A journey of some AI they’re not so much maps as virtual reality mirrors
Circulation
Adam Frost
vision 270 miles which, most online
New machine vision systems that
of the world – read more on page 22. Publication manager
trip planners agreed, would Back in the car, and having navigated the M42
incorporate artificial intelligence
– and why you need them
Godfrey Hooper
be a minimum four-and-a- with minimal delay, one of my favorite bits of (godfrey.hooper@ukimediaevents.com)
Kirk Steudle
Michigan DOT’s director and new
ITS Hall of Fame inductee discusses
what lies ahead for the industry
G
URIN
FEAT

half hours’ driving time. With road lay ahead – the M6toll. The 27-mile stretch
| V2X to beat the weather | Wi-fi in lampposts
The USDOT’s Connected Vehicle Pilot How street furniture is being
Your essential guide to the future of is using smart communications to equipped with new comms tech to
transportation communications make snowy, icy roads safer meet rising transportation demands

CEO 
two small children there was no way we were is a unique piece of infrastructure in England, Tony Robinson
going to attempt such a journey without breaks. being the only section of tolled motorway that Managing director
Graham Johnson
Accordingly, an entire day was blocked out the trip. does not form part of a major river crossing. It’s Editorial director 
Lucky we did. During our lunch stop in fast, clear… and just a touch expensive. But, being Anthony James
Banbury (there’s an impressive statue of the a one-off trip, the £5.90 (US$7.90) price tag seemed Traffic Technology International
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hour. But that hour wasn’t driving. It was filled all-lane running – at this point the number of lanes
with some happy family time, rather than trapped was unchanged – but simply that drivers paid
in the angst of a jam. It was a victory for real-time more attention to variable speed limits when there
maps. Probe data informing us that, for now, were more signs to inform them, thus calming and Published by UKi Media & Events, a
driving was not going to get us anywhere fast. smoothing traffic flows and reducing the dreaded division of UKIP Media & Events Ltd
Such advanced maps were unheard of 20 years stop-start of phantom jams. Which is a reassuring Member of the Audit
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autonomous vehicles will be able to use them Editor Traffic Technology International
This publication is protected
by copyright ©2018

002 Traffic Technology International January 2018 Printed by William Gibbons, Willenhall,
West Midlands, WV13 3XT, UK
www.TrafficTechnologyToday.com
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Show News
Project | |
Update

NYC gets connected


N
As the USDOT’s Connected Vehicle ew York City Department of System program manager, the
Transportation (NYCDOT) is equipment roll-out, which is to be
Pilot in New York City nears the end approaching the end of the utilized in two specific locations
of its design phase, James Gordon design stage of its groundbreaking – Brooklyn (Flatbush Avenue) and
Connected Vehicle Pilot project, Midtown Manhattan (between
gets an update on the challenges which will become the largest 14th and 67th Streets) – has reached
being overcome in what looks to deployment of connected vehicles a critical juncture.
be the largest deployment of (CV) in the USA once it is underway. Take the Aftermarket Safety
The NYC Connected Vehicle Pilot Device (ASD), which will be installed
connected vehicles in the USA Program will support six specially in 5,850 taxis, 1,250 Metropolitan
designed V2V safety applications Transport Authority buses, 250
including forward collision alerts, sanitation trucks, 250 NYCDOT fleet
blindspot warnings, intersection vehicles and around 400 United Parcel
cross-traffic warnings, and Service (UPS) vans, for example.
emergency brake light alerts, and “The ASD procurement tender is
seven V2I audio warnings, which at a mature stage in development,”
will be relayed to around 8,000 test says Talas. “However, we are in
vehicles in total. contractual process with two selected
According to Dr Mohamad Talas, vendors – Savari and Danlaw. In
NYCDOT’s Intelligent Transportation terms of RSU deployment, we are in

004 Traffic Technology International January 2018


www.TrafficTechnologyToday.com
| Project Update

Left: Intersections in
Midtown Manhattan
are being outfitted with
connected RSUs
Right: Urban canyons
create challenges with
obtaining accurate GPS
data in NYC

5,850
Number of NYC cabs
that will be connected
as part of the pilot

and resolved. Take data collection Our in-house crews will be fitting
and data analysis, for example, which
are fundamental building blocks of many of the units. However, in the case
the project. For Transcore NYC’s site of taxis, we are currently working
deployment lead, Bob Rausch, with the Taxi and Limousine
taking a privacy-first approach
has been “a critical element Commission to select
for all stakeholders”. authorized contractors
Says Rausch, “It turns out
Dr Mohamad Talas, ITS program
that the privacy issues were
far more complicated than manager, NYCDOT
we first envisaged and more
complicated than even USDOT
had expected. Therefore, it took us
considerable time to work with the particular, has shown itself to be
the process of procurement and are stakeholders, the evaluators, the effective in dramatically improving
planning the installation of the 353 various lawyers from the different location accuracy.”
units, and hope to complete the groups to develop, and to agree an Another challenge centers
process by mid-2018.”
But with several thousand ASDs
approach that would be acceptable to
everyone. And every step of the way,
on the equipment itself.
Explains Rausch, “We have
400
needing to be fitted to over 8,000 we focused on privacy by design. We spent a lot of time in this Number of UPS delivery
vehicles in the next six months, how realized that it was not sufficient to phase on connected vehicle trucks that will be
exactly is the installation process provide assurances to the stakeholder application tuning. In the connected as part
being managed? community that we wouldn’t be absence of a standard of the pilot
Talas explains, “Our in-house collecting data. Instead, we had to application performance
crews will be fitting many of the demonstrate by design that it was requirement, each vendor has had
units. However, in the case of taxis, physically impossible for us to collect their own interpretation on how
we are currently working with the personal information.” apps should be set up and have
Taxi and Limousine Commission to Rausch also says that in the pilot carried out their own adjustments
select authorized contractors who areas, where high-rise buildings, and refinements to the applications.
will be certified to install the bridges and underpasses create However, most importantly, in the
equipment in the vehicles and urban canyons, “achieving GPS real world where the apps have to
working on agreements with taxi location accuracy in the urban function in dense urban areas, we
fleet owners.” canyon has been challenging”. needed each application, regardless
Talas continues, “In the case of Rausch says, “In New York City of vendor, to deliver consistent
UPS, we will supply the ASDs and where we have very little open sky, we expectations to the driver. Finally,
their installation kits. The UPS team have been delighted by the creativity as we are faced with open sky
will embed the technology into displayed by our vendors in the challenges, we have had to set up
vehicles participating in the pilot.” demonstrations. Together we are two separate testing environments to
leveraging a raft of techniques to ensure consistency – one for open
Privacy issues improve accuracy including RSU sky and another for the urban
In addition to ASD procurement, triangulation, Dead Reckoning and canyon.”
there have been several obstacles that Inertial Management Unit (IMU) For an update on the USDOT’s Connected
the NYC pilot team has negotiated integration. Triangulation, in Vehicle Pilot in Wyoming, turn to page 46

January 2018 Traffic Technology International


www.TrafficTechnologyToday.com 005
Hard Line | News |
Autonomous

Autonomy ahead
As autonomous vehicle development continues James Allen rounds up the latest news in the field,
looking at the funding, testing and new technology that is shaping the future of transportation

Extra UK funding Demo failure AASHTO report


Two of the organizations leading UK An autonomous vehicle being The American Association of State Highway
research into connected and autonomous demonstrated at the ITS World and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) has
vehicles (CAVs), TRL Academy and Congress in November malfunctioned released a new video report exploring how
Transport Systems Catapult, have with delegates inside. The electric the risks and rewards of connected and
welcomed the investment in the emerging vehicle, developed by Navya, stopped autonomous vehicles can be managed on US
technology announced by UK Chancellor midway on the test route, while the roads in the near future. The report features
of the Exchequer Philip Hammond in the doors repeatedly opened and closed opinions from key transportation industry
autumn budget. The UK government has and an alarm sounded. The fault on experts, as well as an overview of the new
committed to £500m (US$665m) in funding the demo vehicle was resolved. briefing document, titled Strategies to
for artificial intelligence and 5G, and an Advance Automated and Connected Vehicles.
additional £2.3bn (US$3bn) for research Watch a video of the trial at:
and development was confirmed. traffictechnologytoday.com/fail Watch the video at:
traffictechnologytoday.com/aashto
Find out more at:
traffictechnologytoday.com/budget

Perfection not
Test track expansion required
World-first taxi
The Virginia Tech Transportation Institute Autonomous vehicles should only have
(VTTI), in partnership with the Virginia to be moderately better than human
Department of Transportation (VDOT), has drivers before being widely used in the
unveiled four expansions to the Virginia French self-driving vehicle manufacturer USA, according to a new report from
Smart Road, the state’s full-scale, closed Navya has unveiled Autonom Cab, which it the RAND Corporation. The public policy
testbed research facility. The expansions claims is the first fully autonomous ‘robotized’ research organization’s claim that
offer an unprecedented opportunity to production taxi cab on the market. The cab allowing widespread use of AVs when
explore how autonomous vehicles will was designed from the outset to be they are just 10% better than current
function on all US roadways, including autonomous, just like all the vehicles in US drivers could save thousands of lives
edge-and-corner and rural environments. Navya’s Autonom range, meaning that there annually, even before the technology
is no cockpit, steering wheel or pedals. is perfected.
Find out more at:
traffictechnologytoday.com/four Find out more at: Find out more at:
traffictechnologytoday.com/taxi traffictechnologytoday.com/moderate

006 Traffic Technology International January 2018


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City Slicker |

All ready in
Rotterdam
As part of our Dutch focus, which begins this issue with the build-up
to Intertraffic Amsterdam 2018, we take a closer look at Rotterdam,
the port that lies 43 miles (70km) south of the exhibition host city

234km (145 miles) highway


6,746km (4,192 miles) non-highway
6,980km (4,337 miles) total road network

Most congested 5.9km (3.7 miles)


day of travel: The length of Rotterdam’s Metro system
Rotterdam is the largest – one of the shortest in the world
port in the EU, with November 24

424 million
160,000
50
metric tons of maritime freight
people cycle daily (80% own a bicycle)

29,022 seagoing vessels


105,000 inland vessels
water taxi berths
743
cycle routes
Diesel cars built before 2001 400,000 passengers per year
and petrol cars built before July

44,636
1992 have been banned in the
low-emission zone in
Heat sensors detect
Rotterdam since January cyclists waiting and
speed up traffic

60% flights lights to green


Rain sensors at some
fall in the number of 1,626,573 passengers traffic lights mean
cyclists wait for less
registered old diesel cars (Jan – Oct 2017) from Rotterdam time in the rain
in Rotterdam between The Hague Airport

600km €40m
2013 and 2016
Sources:
www.rotterdamfietst2016.nl
www.portofrotterdam.com
www.tomtom.com
www.rotterdamthehagueairport.nl spent on improving cycle paths
ec.europa.eu
www.watertaxirotterdam.nl of separated cycle paths in past 10 years (US$47m)

008 Traffic Technology International January 2018


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Global Picture |

Staysecure
James Allen looks at the progress being made by transportation authorities
around the world in tackling the cybersecurity threats to modern vehicles

Cybersecurity
playground planned
Multiple partners unite to launch a testing center
for smart mobility security technologies
US firm Harman makers, Tier 1 suppliers and
Future proofing
International has research institutions, for the
Praetorian to research cybersecurity threats
teamed up with Ben-Gurion testing and certification of
University of the Negev, automotive cybersecurity, in ITS and CV systems
Cymotive Technologies, autonomous driving and
Deutsche Telekom smart mobility technologies. Cybersecurity services
provider Praetorian is
Innovation Laboratories and Functioning as a living lab,
working with the San Antonio,
JVP (Jerusalem Venture it will encompass all aspects Texas-based Southwest
Partners) to launch the of future mobility systems. Research Institute (SwRI) to
international cybersecurity The range will simulate help state and local agencies
Smart Mobility Analysis and a complex reality, enabling address cyberattack risks
Research Test (SMART) effective testing of advanced to current transportation
Range in Israel. technologies, assessment systems and to future
The SMART Range will act of human-machine- connected vehicles. cyberattacks on the field-side
as an innovation hub for auto environment interfaces, Praetorian and SwRI will work of traffic management systems,
the evaluation of transport on the two-year US$750,000 including traffic signal systems,
solutions in a future government-funded project ITS, V2I and CCTV; and informing
networked reality, and to develop guidance for the agency’s response to
operability and robustness transportation agencies on an attack on its equipment,
testing of software and mitigating the risks from systems or network.
hardware systems against
cyber threats.

Puzzle piece in place


Pushed to the limit Highways England commissions WSP to support
four-year connected vehicle project
Consortium to test connected and autonomous
WSP (formerly WSP –
vehicles to limit of operability Parsons Brinckerhoff)
has been commissioned by
The Trusted Intelligent Highways England to drive
Connected Autonomous forward its connected and
Vehicle consortium (TIC-IT),
autonomous vehicles (CAV)
along with the cybersecurity,
engineering and automotive
program over the next four
design departments of the UK’s years in a contract worth
Coventry University, will receive £1.5m (US$1.9m).
£13m (US$17m) of funding from Proving Ground at Nuneaton, WSP specialists, backed architecture design, data
Innovate UK to establish a piece and will create a purpose-built by supply chain partners, security and cybersecurity
of testing infrastructure that will realistic, safe environment for will provide services such systems, business case
be part of the world’s most testing CAVs up to the limit as program management, development, trials
effective CAV testing ecosystem. of their operability, which is design of CAV technology evaluation, road safety case
The TIC-IT facility will be built critical to ensuring consumer solutions, V2V and V2I development, and data
on Horiba MIRA’s 750-acre confidence in the technologies. communications, system analysis and modeling.

010 Traffic Technology International January 2018


www.TrafficTechnologyToday.com
Trond Hovland | INTERVIEW

I
TS Norway’s managing director Trond
Hovland is one of those fortunate men
who loves his work and is often disposed
to smiling. Yet the revelation that first
gave Hovland his infectious energy and
sense of purpose took many years to arrive.
A chemist by education, in 1990 Hovland
was hired for three months by the Norwegian
Public Roads Administration (NPRA) to work
on data systems. “After three months I was
stuck,” he recalls, “so I stayed for 18 years! I
worked on buying intelligent transportation
systems, installing them and getting them
running. I worked with development teams
making the specs for new systems. I worked
on many large road and traffic data systems.
Everything was data and models.” And so
it might have continued, had it not been for
a moment of awakening in 1997.

Light bulb moment


As the Vision Zero agenda emerged from
Sweden, Norway undertook a comprehensive
review of its own traffic safety systems. “By
digging through data, it was easy to find
both existing blackspots and developing
blackspots likely to become severe,”
Hovland explains. “We worked with
insurance companies to find all the
small pressures that eventually led
to a fatality. We matched our curve
with the death toll on the road.
There was a kind of shrinking,
pointing toward zero in the
future. Then someone said, ‘We
can’t bend this curve down
without more data.’” That
was his light bulb moment.

Trond Hovland, ITS Norway’s managing director,


explains why he loves his job and why cooperation
will be vital in delivering future mobility solutions Written with Jack Roper

Interviewed by Tom Stone

In an instant, I realized that


the data I provided and the
quality of that data actually
saved lives on the road

012 Traffic Technology International January 2018


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INTERVIEW | Trond Hovland

“In that instant I realized that the data At present, he argues, much of the data available to bikes and buses. Mobility as a
I provided and the quality of that data from the design and building phase of Service (MaaS) will encourage people to lift-
actually saved lives on the road. It just road projects is lost in transition to the share or use public transport so that acres of
clicked: I had to do this properly because it maintenance phase. “Road builders have urban car parking space can be reclaimed,
would save lives. That became my guiding a 3D model with every detail of interest. Hovland suggests.
star. From then on, I really fell in love To keep this alive through the process, He hopes that MaaS will advance
with my job.” you must combine two families quickly, led by public transport
We are seated on a vast of standards.” administrations (PTAs) integrating
mezzanine beneath a glass
ceiling at the Palais des 117 Standardized data
will be a key enabler for
their systems to provide a more seamless
personal transport experience. Nonetheless,
congrès de Montréal, by The number of autonomous vehicles. experience of testing car pool systems and
the top of a long escalator. road deaths in “People think that cars can working with taxi companies in Bergen and
As Hovland recounts his make increasingly detailed Trondheim make him doubt the willingness
epiphany, I notice little Norway in 2015 maps, but positioning the of smaller transport providers to share
knots of people ascending (2.2 per 100,000 car on the true map still their data via a common platform. He
the electric stairway, carried population) depends on beacon or understands their reluctance, though it
upward into the natural satellite data,” he says. saddens him: “I think cooperation is the
brightness of the circling sky. “If we can put the millimeter- only way to the future,” he says. “You need
“It’s always about traffic safety. precision data from buildings and to open up and share your data. In that way
Technology will further prevent fatalities. roads into a car, it will have a true picture you increase the transportation market for
Since ITS became mainstream – between of the road network. The car’s perception each additional actor, but on a higher level.”
2005 and 2010 – the death toll has declined. of its surroundings can be matched to
We now have only around 100 deaths a year the true map.” Working together
on Norway’s roads, compared with 250 in The cooperative theme persists in
2005. The public sector is driven by safety, A shared future respect of the next ITS World Congress
and the car industry and the roads are Hovland sees autonomous vehicles as in Copenhagen, where Norway is planning
contributing, but rolling analysis out from promising to improve traffic safety while a joint stand with Nordic neighbors
the data has contributed a lot.” relieving (though not necessarily replacing) Denmark, Finland and Sweden. With a
Nowadays Hovland is much engaged human drivers. He also hopes their mass combined population of only 26.4 million,
with standardization, seeing it as production will come hand-in-hand with a it is essential for these nations to pool their
a prerequisite to combining data from utilitarian ethic of collective ownership. thinking – while seeking closer ties with
multiple sources without loss of detail. “I go “You shouldn’t own an autonomous vehicle the Baltic states. “We have worked
to meetings and I’m pretty good at seeing – it should be shared,” he insists. “Then you especially with Estonia,” Hovland says.
connections between committees. I’ve done will see a decrease in the number of cars “It may pass under the radar, but Estonia
that to build information models and and a challenge for car makers: how can is a modern country with young people
geographic information systems and we they make money?” Connected cars will running it – and actually laughing at
now have an international group building be able to travel closer together, using less systems we are quite proud of in Norway!”
those two families of standards together.” space and making more road surface One fruit of such collaboration is the
NPRA’s partnership with the Finnish
Transport Authority (FTA) in developing
intelligent road features on the E8 Aurora
Borealis Corridor linking Tromsø in Norway
with Kolari in Finland, a key route for
Norwegian fish exports. ITS stations are
being set up along the route, which is used
Written with Jack Roper

to test automated vehicle technologies in


challenging weather conditions. “We are
developing systems to hold long-haul
vehicles at the bottom of the mountain in
snow and icy conditions so that others can
come over without being afraid of a head-on
situation on a narrow road.”
Cooperation is seen as key to securing
Norway’s future. “We have to find out what
we can contribute and our position in future
European markets. Bad weather and tunnels
are our specialty – so we can make
connected cars work in those conditions.
Snow is a common But my dream is the state of convergence
hazard on Norway’s to come,” Hovland concludes. “The point
rural road network in time and space when that happens will
be beautiful.”

January 2018 Traffic Technology International


www.TrafficTechnologyToday.com 013
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Intertraffic Preview |

Ahead of the highly anticipated Intertraffic Amsterdam 2018 exhibition, which


will take place from March 20-23, 2018, Rachelle Harry finds out about the
new ITSUP mobility event for startups, as well as key show highlights
Illustration: Magic Torch

016 Traffic Technology International January 2018


www.TrafficTechnologyToday.com
| Intertraffic Preview

I
t has been almost two years since in traffic management, street
the last Intertraffic Amsterdam – care and wayfinding.
the Intertraffic flagship event. “At this year’s ITSUP event,
Taking place from March 20-23, 2018, imagineers Mona Weischnur,
and with more than 30,000 delegates Miarka Webb and Rosalie Verloop
expected to attend, the upcoming from HR Groep are launching a
Intertraffic Amsterdam offers startup that can apply smart
industry professionals the chance to solutions in a co-creative way.”
add to their knowledge of the sector, ITSUP will bring benefits to
keep up with the latest industry both startups and established
trends and expand their business businesses. The larger companies
networks. As with all Intertraffic will gain innovative ideas while
events, there will be an exhibition the startups will be able to pitch
showcasing the latest products in their ideas in front of partners and
the fields of infrastructure, safety, interested companies.
parking and smart mobility.
Conferences and the prestigious Startups can pitch their
Intertraffic Innovation Awards
ceremony will also feature.
innovative solutions to different
This year, for the first time, audiences and professionals in the
ITSUP – the event for smart mobility mobility and traffic industries, such as
startups – will be part of Intertraffic.
“At ITSUP, startups can connect to stakeholders, investors and key experts
established businesses to work Jacques Goddijn, CEO, HR Groep
together on the newest
traffic and automotive “In order to be eligible to pitch
innovations,” says Jacques innovative start-up solutions, it is
Goddijn, CEO of HR Groep, important that you have a solid
the 2018 sponsor for ITSUP. business plan in place and that this
“During this three-day solution is innovative, intelligent and
event, startups can pitch globally applicable,” says Goddijn. “It
their innovative solutions to is also important that the proposed
different audiences and solution is feasible and can grow
professionals in the mobility rapidly. Lastly, the solution should
and traffic industries, such as be oriented toward the industries
stakeholders, investors and that Intertraffic serves – traffic
key experts. technology, automotive, telecoms
“Its international audience and the and service providers.”
presence of many traffic technology Startups wishing to participate
professionals makes ITSUP the should apply online at
perfect location to pitch ideas and www.intertraffic.com/ITSUP
boost smart mobility startups.”
HR Groep, which is an exhibitor at Over the next two pages, we showcase
Intertraffic Amsterdam, is made up key not-to-be-missed highlights of
of several companies that specialize Intertraffic Amsterdam...

January 2018 Traffic Technology International


www.TrafficTechnologyToday.com 017
Pure Precision.

y
lit
ua
Swiss Q

n Robustness
n High performance and endurance
n For demanding professionals
www.haenni-scales.com n Unique Swiss technology

Haenni_Inserat_EN_Radlastwaagen_183x115.indd 1 06.10.16 14:33

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of parking & traffic contraventions?
Beware – all products are not the same

Videalert’s Digital Video Platform 3 Single platform supports


captures the full range of moving multiple civil traffic enforcement,
traffic and parking offences including: traffic management, school
3 Bus lanes safety and Police ANPR
applications simultaneously
3 Bus gates
3 Combines ANPR and
3 Banned turns
sophisticated video analytics
3 Box junctions
3 Fully hosted solution available
3 Restricted entry areas with no hardware or software
3 Weight limit restrictions installed on client premises
3 Bus stops 3 Compliant with latest digital
3 School keep clears industry standards – ONVIF
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Tel: +44 (0) 20 3931 6556 • Email: info@videalert.com • www.videalert.com
| Intertraffic Preview

Certified scales
Visit Haenni Instruments’ stand for proven, robust
equipment used for vehicle weight enforcement

L
eading mobile wheel load scales
supplier Haenni Instruments
aims to provide the best possible
solution for mobile weight enforcement.
Unique and patented measurement
systems give Haenni’s wheel load
scales unmatched accuracy, making
Intelligent them popular all over the world. OIML
certified and known as the thinnest
sensors on the market, Haenni scales are light,
robust and durable. The variety of
types, sizes and ranges enables their
use in different applications. Besides
Sensor devices for road weight enforcement, they can also be
weather information Visit found in private industry, universities,
systems (RWIS) and Haenni Instruments test laboratories and departments of
STAND 10.516 transportation.
traffic monitoring

L
ufft is a developer and supplier of
a wide variety of digital weather
information sensors that are
integrated into traffic control and
weather alert systems on highways,
country roads, urban streets, runways
and along rails. Lufft sensors
deliver information about safety-
relevant traffic weather parameters,
Distortion-proof camera
including friction, water, snow or ice
depths, visibility, precipitation and Tamron Europe presents its industry-first block camera
temperatures. for capturing moving vehicles
In 2017, Lufft launched four new

A
products for road, rail and runway t Intertraffic Amsterdam, license plate recognition. Furthermore,
weather information systems. These Tamron will celebrate the this sensor brings out details in the
include a 20km (12.4-mile) range debut of a brand-new block images, regardless of lighting levels.
visibility sensor, a spectroscopic camera module. Its image sensor With its full-HD resolution, 30x zoom
pavement sensor, a laser-based snow has been specifically designed for and rich configurable auto-control
depth sensor and a maintenance-free traffic applications. Unlike the rolling features, this camera module delivers
radar disdrometer. shutter CMOS imagers used in most unseen image quality for all kinds of
block cameras, the global shutter intelligent transportation systems.
technology in this module ensures
that images taken of fast-moving
vehicles are not distorted – essential
for automated imaging tasks such as

Visit
Tamron Europe
STAND 12.916

Visit
Lufft
STAND 12.532

January 2018 Traffic Technology International


www.TrafficTechnologyToday.com 019
Intertraffic Preview |

Energizing mobility
Visit the Dynniq stand to hear about the very latest in
intelligent infrastructure and traffic systems

D Versatile
ynniq is a dynamic, high-tech the Dynniq team will be showcasing
and innovative company offering the very latest in intelligent
integrated mobility, parking infrastructure and traffic systems,
and energy solutions and services.
Its mission is to enable people, data
and goods to reach their destinations
reliable and future-proof parking
solutions, smart grids and smart
metering technology.
technology
efficiently, sustainably and safely
through advanced technology Infrared specialist Komoto
solutions. Dynniq provides technology delivers a variety of traffic
solutions under its own name, but
also uses the name Peek by Dynniq
management solutions
and its subsidiaries YSP and WPS. At

K
Intertraffic Amsterdam, members of omoto has been a provider
of infrared (IR)-based traffic
Visit technology solutions for over
Dynniq 20 years. With domestic and foreign
patents for many products including
STAND 08.524 a high-speed IR strobe, ALPR cameras,
digital video recorders and image
processing equipment, its specialists
are confident in regard to the quality,
technological advancement and
customer service they provide. Taiwan,
Europe and North America, Japan
and Southeast Asia are all areas

Stable, reliable signals where Komoto’s technology has been


deployed. While pursuing the continued
growth of the business, Komoto has
remained dedicated to the development
Independent manufacturer Spinnea aims of technology that limits its impact
to support society’s growing mobility on the surrounding environment.
Use of natural radiation and low-

S
pinnea is an independent power consumption technology for
manufacturer of traffic lights. Its its products and careful selection of
mission is to support the growing materials has helped to establish the
mobility of society and increase road environmentally friendly credentials
users’ safety with high-quality and of the business.
eco-friendly products. Founded in
Slovakia in 1994, Spinnea offers stable Visit
and reliable products for the lighting Komoto
industry, as well as cooperating with STAND 12.409
individual clients in order to meet their
specific needs.

Visit
Spinnea Traffic Lights
STAND 07.408

Book your FREE visit to Intertraffic


Amsterdam today at:
www.intertraffic.com/amsterdam

020 Traffic Technology International January 2018


www.TrafficTechnologyToday.com
AI
Mapping |

maps
Maps are evolving from static, occasionally updated flat representations
of the world, into depictions that are automatically built and updated in
real time by sensors and software, to create rich, 3D worlds. David Smith
takes a look at some of the new uses for such maps

W
ithout innovative owns Here, along with Audi and
HD 3D maps, such BMW. The challenge was to produce
as the ones recently a vastly more precise and detailed
introduced by Here map using live data.
Technologies, the autonomous car “The HD map and its derivative
revolution would grind to a halt. products can be used for road
Artificial intelligence needs the data planning and traffic design,” says
from the maps to orient vehicles Brian Lent, Here’s CTO. “The precise
precisely enough to guarantee safety
in complex, changing environments.
Transport planners, too, could use The HD map, and its derivative products, can be used
the 3D maps to help design roads, for road design and traffic planning. The precise detail and the
update traffic infrastructure and real-time nature of the data will help planners
improve the performance of roadside
Brian Lent, chief technical officer, Here
cameras. Meanwhile the greater
detail in the 3D maps is improving
the performance of ADAS functions. detail and the real-time nature of the
Designing 3D maps is a radical data will help planners. We are also
departure for Here, which has been providing consumers with a mobile
producing 2D standard definition app enabling them to report real-time
(SD) digital maps for 30 years. SD road conditions with two taps. That
maps were designed for human information goes to our cloud
drivers to go from A to B and were and then gets sent back to
simple to read. But in 2013 Here drivers to give them a
began to wrestle with the problem warning. We call it our
of how best to create accurate 3D Hyper Local Awareness
representations for autonomous cars, Platform, an example of the
in partnership with Mercedes, one of use of real-time data that
three members of the consortium that consumers can choose to

022 Traffic Technology International January 2018


www.TrafficTechnologyToday.com
| Mapping

January 2018 Traffic Technology International


www.TrafficTechnologyToday.com 023
Mapping |

Detailed data
enables a vehicle
to precisely locate
itself on the map

participate in. The data can also be such as shoulder, passing and
sent back at the same time to the local express lanes, as well as lanes
transport authorities.” reserved for certain vehicles, such as
Lent also explains that the data HOVs and bikes. It sends data about
they are collecting is relevant to the width and speeds of each lane,
connected vehicle services: “We get whether markers are striped or solid,
more efficient data for parking and and even their color. All the data is
traffic. We can do things at a higher continually updated.
definition than we have traditionally The final layer is the HD
done with GPS probe data, because Localization Model, which allows
the data we are collecting from our the car to locate itself precisely on
automobile customers comes from the map. “This layer provides
a much richer sensor package array, information about traffic signs and
which means it’s generally more infrastructure at the sides of the road.
accurate. So we can improve the It also gets data about walls and
accuracy of a lot of the existing guardrails, as well as polls and
packages we have as part of the barriers, none of which exist in
same update.” an SD map. With this added layer,
a vehicle continually checks its
Triple layered orientation, which enables it to stay
To achieve superior performance, HD in its lane, stop in the right place
Live Map is composed of three layers. at intersections, and make turns
The first is similar to an SD map. It accurate to within 20cm [7.9in],”
provides a road map based on curves, says Dietmar Rabel, Here’s director
elevation and coordinates. This layer of product management for
allows the AI system to understand autonomous driving.
the topology of intersections and
the basic attributes of the roads, Making the map
including speeds. But it remains The data to build the HD Live Map is
a generalized view, with nowhere captured from two main sources. The
near enough information for an first is the fleet of Here’s True Cars,
autonomous vehicle. which drive around gathering 28TB
With the addition of the second of data every day. Each True Car
layer, Here was already getting much features a 360° lidar system with
closer to its goal. The HD Lane Model rotating lasers that measure the
provides live information that world in 3D. There are six cameras
differentiates between lane types, beneath the lasers and a panoramic

024 Traffic Technology International January 2018


www.TrafficTechnologyToday.com
| Mapping

camera above them. Additional driving, including some for road


sensors measure speed and transport agencies, which can receive
orientation, as well as the incline precise data about traffic flows and
of a street and the degree of a turn. accidents, or be alerted about sudden
This information is accurate down changes on the roads. “There are lots
to centimeters. of scenarios a modern car can detect
The second source consists of with its sensors. It could be useful for
crowd-sourced vehicle sensor data a DOT to know that a section of
about paths, lanes and pavement guardrail has been knocked down,
marking. To date, 20 OEMs are a tree has fallen on a road, a dead The HD layer provides
helping Here gather the information. animal is on the highway, or a fresh information about traffic signs
“As the saying goes, ‘A rising tide pothole has appeared,” says Bernd
floats all boats’,” says Lent. “The more Fastenrath, senior product manager
and infrastructure at the sides
data we get from manufacturers, the at Here. “The cars can inform us and of the road. It also gets data about
better the quality of information. Our we can deliver that information, walls and guardrails, as well as polls
customers are finding ways in which including the precise location, to
more advanced vehicles, with more highway maintenance companies.” and barriers, none of which exist in
advanced sensors, can update the Fastenrath says because the maps an SD map
map as they go. Having up-to-date are so detailed, a city DOT could Dietmar Rabel, director of product management
maps will become even more use them to spot bits of road for autonomous driving, Here
important as we move from infrastructure that require updating.
level 2 to level 5 automation.” “For example, a city that wants to
The HD 3D maps have broad make its environment more inclusive
applications beyond autonomous could use the highly precise map to
know where it has pavements that
Left: HD 3D mapping are not wheelchair-friendly,” he says.
techniques create Increasingly, camera-based
realistic models of sensors are also becoming adept at
cities from the ground
up. Crowdsourcing
observing their environment. With
and vehicle sensors roadside cameras, image-processing
are two important technology can be paired with HD
sources for the data mapping to help with lane-level
needed to make these vehicle counts. “You can get a more
maps, which have
detailed understanding of traffic
to be updated
as frequently as flow, or precise figures for people
possible in order movements, such as pavement use by
to remain useful pedestrians, numbers using public

HD maps without lidar #1


It’s been almost impossible to think of live HD 3D maps without also
thinking about lidar. A new startup is changing that

I
n July 2017 three former HD 3D maps and sub-US$15 that translates the footage
Tesla and iRobot engineers consumer-grade cameras. into HD maps that are accurate
launched lvl5, a developer The company has been down to a 10cm threshold. In
of crowdsourced HD 3D maps crowdsourcing mapping data the three months leading
and computer vision software using a dashcam app, Payver, up to its launch in July 2017,
for self-driving vehicles. It has allowing anyone to earn lvl5 claimed to have mapped
already secured US$2m in seed US$0.01-US$0.05 per mile 90% of all US highways using
funding from investors. driven. lvl5 is already working this crowdsourcing strategy,
The founders of lvl5 argue with Uber and Lyft drivers and will later build Payver’s
that lidar, while enabling across the USA who run the dashcam into vehicles. The
cars to understand the world dashcam app throughout the company has existing pilots
around them, has limitations, day. As cars drive around, they with major OEMs who will
including an average price tag are vacuuming up data, such as pay an initial fee to install
of US$80,000 and sub-par ‘a stop sign was just added to the system into vehicles.
performance in inclement this intersection’, which is then Because HD maps must be
weather. With lvl5, there’s no sent to a central hub. continuously maintained, lvl5
need for lidar. The system uses lvl5 has also developed will also charge a monthly
a combination of crowdsourced a computer-vision algorithm subscription fee per vehicle.

January 2018 Traffic Technology International


www.TrafficTechnologyToday.com 025
Mapping |

HD maps without lidar #2


An alternative way to build HD maps without the need for lidar cameras
is being developed by a startup from California

S
an Francisco-based Instead, it has created a small take a particular route. Data
startup Mapper emerged army of part-time workers to about the route is sent back
out of stealth mode on gather the data required to to the company’s server.
October 11, 2017, after a year create a base map. Mapper expects to need
spent developing 3D maps for The company’s engineers about 10,000 mappers to
autonomous cars and other have designed a small plastic maintain its base map, which
applications. Mapper takes device called an S1 that contains could then be licensed to
a different approach to Uber, high-definition cameras and auto makers and technology
General Motors and Google’s sensors. It fits on a car’s companies. Other customers
Waymo, which all make their dashboard and gets power from might include DOTs looking
own detailed maps using vans the lighter socket. The S1 syncs for detailed coverage of their
equipped with expensive lidar to the driver’s smartphone roadways, insurance companies
technology. But Mapper doesn’t wirelessly. The Mapper app on looking for hazards, and
believe lidar is essential. the phone directs the driver to augmented reality ventures.

We offer tracking technology


to generate 3D maps that help
cars understand their position.
But to understand the meaning of
the data, we team up with machine-
learning companies
Daiu Ko, COO of strategy and business development, Kudan
transit stations, or cyclists using bike provide AI computing, but teams
lanes,” Fastenrath says. up with hardware manufacturers.
Even with consumer-grade lidar, “We offer tracking technology
Top: Here’s lidar point
he adds, there are interesting to generate 3D maps that help cars cloud capture with HD
potential applications. Some cars understand their position,” says Live Map overlay
are equipped with lidar that could Daiu Ko, Kudan’s COO of strategy Above left: The HD
generate mini-maps for places such and business development. “But to Live Map boasts lane-
as indoor parking garages, where understand the meaning of the data, level accuracy
Here does not drive its capture we team up with machine-learning
vehicles. Another use for the data companies. Kudan SLAM is the
is to update Here’s existing ADAS ‘eye’ and machine learning is
packages, such as cruise control, the ‘brain’ and they need to be
with more accurate information. closely integrated.”
Ko says that Kudan’s SLAM is
3D Slam a highly versatile algorithm that is
Here is not alone in innovating with suitable for all hardware, including
3D map technology for autonomous drones and robots. “Previous
vehicles. Kudan, the UK-Japanese SLAM technologies have been
developer of computer vision, mainly in-house products, such as
recently announced that its 3D SLAM Microsoft’s HoloLens wearables.
(simultaneous localization and But we see the versatility of our
mapping) technology was ready product as crucial in selling the
for market. Kudan’s real-time 3D software. We’re already working
tracking and mapping system with a major Japanese automotive
provides computers with a form of OEM that wants to develop its own
vision. Unlike Here, Kudan does not camera and sensing system.”

026 Traffic Technology International January 2018


www.TrafficTechnologyToday.com
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Bridge Tech |

Open
The brand-new Mersey Gateway Bridge, in northwest
for business
England, is the first crossing in the UK to be conceived
and built as a free-flow tolling facility. Jack Roper meets
some of the experts involved in its successful beginnings

028 Traffic Technology International January 2018


www.TrafficTechnologyToday.com
| Bridge Tech

O
ne minute after midnight The Mersey Gateway’s story begins
on October 14, 2017, the some 56 years earlier and half a mile
first vehicles rolled over the to the west, with the opening of
Mersey Gateway Bridge,
a 1.3-mile (2.2km) cable-stayed We’re close to Liverpool Airport
structure, the centerpiece of an £1.86bn
(US$2.46bn) infrastructure project and people were leaving huge
undertaken by Halton Borough Council. amounts of time in case of problems;
The Mersey Gateway offers 5.9 miles either you’d get there very early or
(9.5km) of new road network, with
interchanges, linking the towns of be stuck in traffic
Runcorn and Widnes to form a new Matthew Fearnhead, commercial and contracts manager,
six-lane arterial route into Liverpool, Mersey Gateway Crossings Board
some 11 miles (18km) distant. Lit in
red and electric blue, its titanic, another bridge. “The only way to cross
triple-masted 0.6-mile (1km) curve the Mersey without a long detour –
of riverspan is a breathtaking sight, either to the Mersey Tunnels or the
and made possible through an M6 Thelwell Viaduct – was over the
innovation rare on UK roads: Fireworks on Silver Jubilee Bridge, which was built
all-electronic, free-flow tolling. opening night in 1961,” explains Matthew Fearnhead,

January 2018 Traffic Technology International


www.TrafficTechnologyToday.com 029
| Bridge Tech

Left: The Mersey


Gateway Bridge joins
Runcorn and Widnes
to form a new six-lane
arterial route into
Liverpool

Photo: John O’Connell


crossings
6 critical road

1 George
Bridge
Washington
commercial and contracts manager New York City, USA
at Mersey Gateway Crossings Board. The GWB faces higher traffic
“Built to serve 9,000 vehicles per day Everything in our systems volumes than any bridge on
with one lane in each direction, it was from end to end is redundant. the planet…
reconfigured in 1977 with two lanes
each way, but substandard-width lanes
We allow for overlap so we can First opened: 1931
Length: 4,760ft (1,450m)
with vehicles in close proximity. If actually lose a lane-side camera Deck height: 212ft (65m)
there’s an incident, it quickly jams up.” and still have full coverage Annual crossings: 103 million
This bridge has latterly carried up
James Lee, UK support services and
to 85,000 vehicles daily. “This caused
delivery manager, Merseyflow
a lot of congestion,” says Fearnhead,
“further exacerbated by incidents or
accidents; sometimes you’d be stuck issues on the Silver Jubilee Bridge tags, which are less intrusive than
there for hours. We’re close to Liverpool were getting worse. So it was a tolled DSRC for the end user,” explains
Airport and people were leaving huge bridge or no new bridge.” Under a James Lee, UK support services and
amounts of time in case of problems; design-build-finance-operate (DBFO) delivery manager for Merseyflow
you’d get there very early or be stuck contract, the consortium chosen by contractor Emovis. “This is one of the
in traffic. We didn’t have the network the council, operating as Merseylink, first times these have been used in
reliability or resilience to deal with it.” was responsible for sourcing finance, Europe.” Meanwhile, cameras linked
designing and constructing the bridge, to optical character recognition (OCR)
Thirteen years in the making and operating and maintaining it software read the license plate (or
In 2004 Halton Borough Council over a 30-year concession. For VRM, vehicle registration mark),
approached the UK government for the 26.5-year remainder of which can be cross-referenced with
funding for a new bridge. “It said that period, the council Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency
ossings
it wouldn’t fund a completely 6 critical road cr will repay £1.86bn (DVLA) records to enable billing of
new crossing,” Fearnhead (US$2.46bn) through unregistered vehicles. These license

2
recalls, “and that the council a unitary charge, plate records are also tagged into RFID
should look to a tolled Golden Gate Bridge 80% of it from toll transactions, for dual-layer validation.
crossing for financing. The San Francisco, USA revenues collected “Everything in our systems from
Arguably the most iconic for the council by end to end is redundant,” Lee
bridge in America… a second contractual continues. “We allow for overlap so
First opened: 1937 entity: Merseyflow. we can lose a lane-side camera and
Length: 8,981ft (2,737m) Via a single pair still have full coverage. It goes
Deck height: 220ft (67m) of gantries on the through the IT systems as well:
Annual crossings: 39 million bridge, Merseyflow we have multiple versions of the
operates state-of-the-art database running the system. If
tolling with multiple we have issues, we can migrate
technologies ensuring over and there’s never any end-user
failsafe reliability. Registered impact. Everything – web servers,
Photo: Frank Schulenburg

customers display an RFID gantry controllers, tag reading,


transponder. “They’re sticker-type classification lasers – is redundant.

January 2018 Traffic Technology International


www.TrafficTechnologyToday.com 031
Bridge Tech |

All-electronic,
free-flow tolling
is rare in the UK

crossings
6 critical road

3 Millau Viaduct Tarn Valley, France


This marvel of engineering is the
world’s tallest bridge, based on
structural height…
First opened: 2004
Length: 2,460ft (750m)
Deck height: 270ft (82m)
Annual crossings: 6.4 million

With multiple redundancies, we can


never have a single point of failure.”
Besides the combination of RFID Halton residents can pay
and OCR technologies, gantries have a 10-year subscription and get
thermal imaging for external auditing.

Photo: Stefan Krause, Germany


“We use thermal imaging to do what
unlimited trips. This has been massively
we call system ground-truthing,” helpful from a project point of view
says Lee. “That’s how we validate Matthew Fearnhead, commercial and contracts manager,
what’s coming in from the roadside. Mersey Gateway Crossings Board
If our normal processing says there
are 100,000 vehicles in one day, we
use our thermal imaging component
to validate that, looking at the actual than a million crossings made in the council’s debt over 26.5 years,” says
heat signatures from vehicles.” first two weeks of opening and traffic Matt Fearnhead. “Obviously people
Flat-rate tolls are based on vehicle exceeding Halton Borough Council’s are used to not having to pay to cross
type, from £2 (US$2.60) per crossing conservative base-case estimates of the estuary, so it’s a contentious issue.”
for cars, up to £8 (US$10.60) for HGVs. traffic flow needed to cover costs. Yet Consequently, one dimension of
But what would happen if an HGV toll facilities are uncommon in the Merseyflow’s role is securing the
driver tried to use an account linked UK and, with some daily commuters trust of a potentially doubtful public.
to a lighter vehicle, evading the full facing a new £1,000 (US$1,325) annual “We have a walk-in center in
toll? “We use classification lasers to expense, public acceptance may not Runcorn; if end users are not
detect the type of vehicle: its height, be universal. As an estimated 80% of technologically savvy, we can walk
width, length and number of axles,” traffic switches to the Mersey them through registration from start
says Lee. “If it says Class 2 on the tag Gateway, the Silver Jubilee Bridge to finish,” explains James Lee. “We
register but roadside lasers undergoes refurbishment and will have a heavy social media presence
identify an HGV, the system reopen as a local crossing with and place a lot of emphasis on
creates a class mismatch. pedestrian and cycle access – and acceptance. We started telephone
crossings
There’s also validation 6 critical road will also be tolled. “We set tolls registration early, helping people to
against the VRM and on the level needed to repay the register at their own pace and not

4
system account face a big queue the week before the
data. If there’s Øresund Bridge bridge opened.” Because Council
a class mismatch, Copenhagen, Denmark – Malmö, Sweden procurement came in under budget,
it goes through This sea bridge plunges into the the government has allowed savings
a manual image Drogden Tunnel midway to be plowed into a local-user
review to see if across the Øresund Strait… discount scheme, securing crucial
we’re classing the local support. “Halton residents can
vehicle correctly.” First opened: 1999 pay a 10-year subscription and get
Length: 7,845ft (2,392m) unlimited trips,” says Fearnhead.
Charm offensive Deck height: 57ft (187m) “This has been massively helpful
The Mersey Gateway Annual crossings: 35.6 million from a project point of view.”
Photo: Nick-D

Project has enjoyed Mindful of public perceptions,


early success, with more Merseyflow subjected the system to

032 Traffic Technology International January 2018


www.TrafficTechnologyToday.com
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Bridge Tech |

6 critical road
crossings Incentivizing incident management
5
Merseylink partners will be penalized if bridge journey times are not
Hangzhou Bay Bridge reliable – enter a dual-redundant journey time measurement system
Jiaxing-Zhejiang, China

T
This is the longest road sea he network reliability traffic microwave sensor [RTMS] Bridge crossings can feel
bridge on Earth… of the six-lane, 60mph G4 system is used for detection daunting to road users, but
(96km/h) Mersey Gateway of incidents and traffic speeds,” a combination of bridge design
First opened: 2007 is underwritten by a contract he says. “When an incident is and continuous monitoring
Length: 35,673ft (11,7037m) incentivizing its operator to detected, the CCTV system is minimizes potential weather
Deck height: 203ft (62m) clear incidents and keep lanes instructed to move the relevant impacts on traffic. “Given that
Annual crossings: 18 million open. The operator, Merseylink, cameras, highlighting the the Mersey Gateway Bridge
faces deductions from the incident to the operator.” runs for 1.3 miles (2.2km) at
charge paid by Halton Borough “All information from traffic 82ft (25m) above the River
Council, based on journey times. control and information systems Mersey, protecting vehicles
“Traffic-flow effectiveness is connected back to servers from high winds is a key
and maintenance is monitored in the Mersey Gateway Control factor,” says O’Connor. “The
by a dual-redundant journey Room,” adds Hugh O’Connor, bridge design includes wind
time measurement system general manager and company deflectors, so it can remain
[JTMS],” says Roger Higginson, representative at Merseylink. open in much higher winds
senior manager, major projects, “Measurement systems include than the existing Silver Jubilee
Dynniq UK and Ireland. “This the RTMS-G4 detection system, Bridge. Meteorological stations
consists of two independent pan-tilt-zoom CCTV coverage, measure the wind speed inside
measurement systems JTMS and meteorological data. and outside the deflectors,
Photo: Glabb

utilizing ALPR cameras at These are linked via a master highlighting their effectiveness
specified measurement points control system, helping network and enabling operators to make
throughout the project.” managers ensure safe operation informed decisions.
As well as scheduling of the bridge and project road.” “The Mersey Gateway Bridge
rigorous manual checks in the first maintenance work in off-peak In emergencies, managers can has been designed to the highest
days of operation. “When we initially hours, Merseylink prevents implement pre-agreed signing standards, with state-of-the-art
went live at midnight, the system was stoppages by swiftly identifying plans on variable signage and technologies ensuring safe
prepared right up to that point,” Lee and responding to incidents. fixed-text message signs, to and efficient functioning of the
explains. “From there, everything “An above-ground remote communicate with drivers. structure,” concludes O’Connor.
queues in the system. We’d feed
in 100 queued transactions and
follow each one manually through
the whole system, making sure to pick up, for example, the tags used
everything was correct and got All the information from various in the Mersey Tunnels. We have
posted to the right account.” traffic control and information that technical ability. If we ever
“We were very conscious that we wanted to go down the road of
could start on the wrong foot and set systems is connected back to servers interoperability, the equipment
that tone for the whole project,” says in the Mersey Gateway Control Room is already there.”
Fearnhead of Mersey Gateway Hugh O’Connor, general manager, Merseylink The Mersey’s name means
Crossings Board. “When some ‘boundary river’ and it once formed
journeys didn’t appear on accounts, an estuarial border dividing the
there was a bit of publicity. But we ancient kingdoms of Mercia and
were saying, ‘We’re checking the Northumberland. The first ferry was
system. As it comes into effect and established by monks in medieval
learns, it will become much quicker times, when perhaps a dawn crossing
and more automated.’ It was was bought through exchange of
a decision to process things in coin. Now it will be so again,
a careful way over the first although in different form, until the
crossings
6 critical road
couple of weeks.” council’s debt is fully repaid in 2044.
And who knows how the UK may
Future ready
6 Mersey Gateway Bridge
change before then? For now,
Interoperability with other toll commuters are feeling the benefits
facilities is not an objective at Runcorn Gap, UK of improved journey times.
present. Nonetheless, This stunning new six-lane “Personally, it’s saving me 15
Merseyflow will be ready toll bridge spans the River Mersey… minutes in the morning and 15
for a possible future when minutes on my commute home,”
such toll-funded schemes First opened: 2017 says Fearnhead. “I’m getting half
Length: 2,200m (7,217ft)
in the UK proliferate and an hour a day back, basically.” So
Deck height: 25m (82ft)
begin to interlink. “We’ve Predicted annual crossings: far, Halton Borough Council and
already installed the 26 million commuters would seem to broadly
appropriate antennas agree: it’s money well spent.

034 Traffic Technology International January 2018


www.TrafficTechnologyToday.com
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Road Weather |

036 Traffic Technology International January 2018


www.TrafficTechnologyToday.com
| Road Weather

Remove
winter hazards
Surface treatment and snowplows are the two
traditional low-tech methods of improving safety on
snow- and ice-bound highways, but in Colorado the
integration of weather monitoring and variable speed
limits is playing an increasingly important role, as
Saul Wordsworth discovers

G
lenwood Canyon occupies to the river. The only place snow can
a 13.5-mile (22km) stretch go is over the barriers, so we have to
of Colorado’s I-70 just east use high-speed plows with plow
of Glenwood Springs. blades that will shoot the snow up
Situated in a mountainous belt 6,000ft over the edge. It tends to build up
(1,830m) above sea level, the road across both lanes in both directions,
and canyon corridor wend their but the plows can only work a lane at
way parallel to the Colorado a time. The surface regularly freezes
river, making the road perilously over and is a serious hazard.”
prone to ice during the region’s All this renders this particular
bitterly cold winters. stretch of asphalt one of the most
“Snow removal is extremely treacherous in the state. In 2014
difficult along the canyon,” says CDOT performed a safety assessment
Mike Curtis, project engineer along the problematic 15-mile (24km)
for Colorado Department of corridor. Using the previous five
Transportation (CDOT) Region 3. years’ crash statistics it discovered
“There are two lanes in each that there were 744 reported
direction, but one section is elevated accidents, 18% of which resulted in
along a hillside and the other is close injuries and two of which were fatal.

January 2018 Traffic Technology International


www.TrafficTechnologyToday.com 037
Road Weather |

21
The number of variable
speed limit cameras to be
Sixty five percent of these incidents installed along the 22-mile
occurred when a vehicle hit a fixed stretch of Glenwood Canyon,
object, which in this case meant a Colorado, classified
concrete barrier or median guardrail.
Seventy percent of all such incidents as mountainous
occurred during adverse weather.
Accidents clearly peaked in the
winter months. If the canyon has
to close, alternate routes are Above: A maintenance
crew at an RWIS (road
four to five hours extra for anyone weather information
wishing to travel from Denver to system)
Grand Junction.
“When we analyzed the results we
realized that we needed the ability to
vary the speed limit based on road
conditions, accidents and any
slowing traffic,” says Curtis. “If
drivers could be made aware of
specific dangers associated with We realized that we needed the 21 variable speed limit (VSL) signs –
a combination of poor weather, tight 10 in one direction, 11 in the other –
bends and heavy traffic, we saw ability to vary the speed limit manufactured by Daktronic and
that a reduction in incidents could be based on road conditions, accidents Skyline. While there are similar
possible. That’s when the Glenwood and any slowing traffic projects in Wyoming and Utah
Canyon project was born.” featuring variable message signs
Mike Curtis, project engineer, Colorado (VMS) and VSLs, what makes
Bid for safety Department of Transportation Glenwood Canyon unique is the
Fast-forward to today and sheer density and depth of the
the construction bidding technology. Having a variable speed
process is underway. The limit sign every 1.3 miles (2km) is
project will involve unheard of in this context, as are
the installation of three weather stations for live
interconnected weather condition monitoring, 73 new static
and road sensors by Vaisala, signs and nine cameras, all contained
CCTV cameras by Apex and within a 15-mile stretch.

038 Traffic Technology International January 2018


www.TrafficTechnologyToday.com
| Road Weather

“Such a solution will lower the


speed limit during inclement weather
and help with incident management,”
Glenwood
says Curtis. “Ultimately the
integrated weather monitoring with
by numbers
variable speed limits will provide
drivers with warnings and generate Colorado’s Glenwood
a safer traffic flow to reduce Canyon on I-70 is an
accidents along the canyon.”
accident black spot – and
The sensors bad weather is a major
CDOT employs two kinds of sensors, contributing factor
both of which are manufactured by
Vaisala. The first is a remote
temperature sensor that works by
measuring the infrared radiation
emitted from the surface. This is 744
particularly useful during the night Number of
when conventional, non-remote accidents annually
sensors can misread the temperature. on Glenwood
Its ability to record air temperature Canyon
and humidity with stable results
even during busy periods makes
it an important tool. The second –
18
a surface state sensor – concentrates Percentage of
on the surface of the road, relaying accidents that
result in injuries
the presence of water, spray, slush
and – in particular – early signs of ice

12
crystals in the form of snow or ice.
“The surface state sensor is able
to measure the level of grip on the
Percentage of
road’s surface,” says Curtis. “This
accidents due to
helps determine what speed
rear-end shunts
a vehicle may slide out at, and
therefore what speed is safe. The
maintenance people rely on the
sensors, along with the weather
forecast, to determine when to put
122
Average number
magnesium chloride down.” of accidents that
occur in December
Automation ahead?
Midway along Glenwood Canyon is
the Hanging Lake Tunnel, an area
that is especially susceptible to the
impact of extreme weather. In the
71
Percentage of
tunnel is a four-story building where accidents due to
many of the canyon traffic operatives fixed-object collisions
Left: A RWIS with
Vaisala sensors work. They play a key part in an
existing system where variable speed

1
installed in
Snowmass Canyon limits remain reliant on human input.
on SH82 between “Variable speed limits are still
Aspen and Glenwood adjusted manually, albeit remotely, Percentage of
Springs
by an operator in the traffic control accidents due to
room,” says Curtis. “CDOT uses wild animals on
software called the Colorado the road
Transportation Management System
(CTMS). It can talk to weather
stations, VMS and ITS, but even with
CTMS software, operators still
10
Average number
receive a message and act on it. From of accidents that
a sensor detecting a change in the occur in May
weather to an alteration in the VSL is
only a matter of seconds.”

January 2018 Traffic Technology International


www.TrafficTechnologyToday.com 039
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URING
FEAT
| Connected streetlights | Communication blackspots
How one Washington city is leading In Wyoming, the USDOT’s Connected

PLUS
Your essential guide to the future of the way in a streetlight-based Vehicle Pilot is confronting challenges
transportation communications Internet of Things revolution of rural coverage and DSRC shadows

AI
maps
Why high-definition
3D maps – automatically updated by sensors
and software – are game-changing tools for
road designers and traffic planners

The latest news &


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URIN
FEAT
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How one Washington city is leading In Wyoming, the USDOT’s Connected
Your essential guide to the future of the way in a streetlight-based Vehicle Pilot is confronting challenges
transportation communications Internet of Things revolution of rural coverage and DSRC shadows

Free Magazine archive


| Road Weather

Left: VMS on the UK’s


smart motorways help
to enforce variable speed
limits and reduce jams

14,000
Annual average daily
traffic along Glenwood
Canyon, Colorado
The English way
Use of VMS and variable speed limits on the UK’s smart motorways
reduces congestion by calming traffic and enabling all-lane running

E
xtreme weather may be making the hard shoulder (either loops in the road or The issue of whether the
less of an issue in the UK, available as a traffic lane and radars) determining whether Glenwood Canyon project can be
but Highways England uses using variable limits to smooth it is busy or not and setting automated is complex. Curtis believes
VMS to communicate variable traffic flow. Large parts of signs and signals accordingly. it may prove difficult in the short
speed limits and other traffic the M1, M25 and M6 have Where human intervention
alerts, including advising this technology, with other is required, staff override the
term, primarily because of all the
drivers of conditions that motorways being upgraded. system to set signs manually, variables. He anticipates that for the
they cannot see, both on the “Technology is installed to for instance when an incident most part Glenwood will be operator
approach to and through poor monitor and manage traffic occurs. The teams keep a close controlled. Operatives will monitor
weather. They also set speed flow as well as enabling use eye on traffic conditions the CTMS alarm tab for alerts related
limits for weather conditions of the hard shoulder, either through a network of CCTV to friction, traffic speeds, pavement
that are visible to drivers permanently or at peak times,” cameras, so can respond conditions, visibility and
except for known localized says Max Brown, Highways quickly to changing conditions. precipitation for conditions that
conditions, though they do set England’s head of smart roads. “Highways England has require a reduction in the speed
targeted messages in some “Smart motorways produce recently updated the messages
conditions, for example fog. an optimized approach to we display when we receive
limit. When an alert is received, they
VMS and variable speed upgrading our busiest sections unconfirmed information will visually confirm the conditions
limits are used mainly in the of the network, provide 33% about obstructions on our through CCTV where possible. Other
UK on ‘smart motorways’, extra capacity on the strategic motorways,” says Brown. “You sources of information include
which increase capacity, road network for 60% less cost will now see the text, ‘Report weather reports, radio reports,
reduce congestion and improve than traditional road widening, of obstruction’ or ‘Report of CSP dispatch or calls from CDOT
journey time reliability by and have proved to be as safe pedestrian’ and drivers should maintenance personnel. The
as conventional motorways.” slow down and take extra care. conditions will then be reported to a
The monitoring of routine We can also use the overhead supervisor. The data will be reviewed
traffic conditions is largely VMS to close any lane by
and a change will be made to specific
automated, with technology displaying a red X symbol.”
variable speed limits accordingly.
However, Curtis states that the
ultimate goal is automation.
“CDOT will run the Glenwood
variable speed limits manually to
begin with, using the existing CTMS
corridor software,” he says. “Doing so
Smart motorways produce an does have its own risks, of course,
optimized approach to upgrading where personnel can make mistakes.
our busiest sections of the network Automation may be preferable but
does come with a higher price tag and
Max Brown, head of smart roads, this may be too much for one region
Highways England to handle. Therefore Colorado has
two other ITS projects where these
expenses could be shared. There is
the Integrated Data Acquisition
System (IDAS) project, where
machine-learning and device health

January 2018 Traffic Technology International


www.TrafficTechnologyToday.com 041
Road Weather |

Danger: falling rocks!


Steep slopes alongside roads bring with them the risk of rockfalls, but new
technology is mitigating the risks

T
he western states of of houses are capable of three-quarters of a mile (1.2km)
the USA are particularly flattening almost anything away, on the opposing face of
prone to rockfalls. Along in their path. Fatalities are the canyon. Data delivered from
Glenwood Canyon in Colorado, rare, but they do occur. each of the devices, including
the tops of the canyon walls In an attempt to mitigate live video from a long-range
are 2,000ft (600m) above such outcomes, CDOT came pan/tilt/zoom camera, is sent
the roadway. Protective up with a solution. In Hanging to a server in Denver.
fences purpose-built from Lake it installed a long-range If rock movement becomes
submarine netting pepper the radar unit to scan the north significant, rockfall mitigation
mountainside below, and new cliff face of Glenwood Canyon, teams can be sent in to reduce
ones are erected each year, but and placed a series of sensitive the danger with controlled
it’s not always enough. movement sensors from Silent explosions. Less significant
When plummeting Solutions on rocks of concern. rockfall caught by the fences
down the mountain, The sensors are monitored and can trigger sensors tied to VMS

6
rocks the size data is recorded from a location to alert drivers on the road.

The percentage of
accidents on the
Glenwood Canyon stretch
of I-70 that are due
to collisions with
large boulders

monitoring will occur, and which


will lead to an integrated automated
system with data gathering from all
ITS devices. There is also the
Colorado Region 1 smart workzone
initiative, which will replace static
signs with variable speed limits in
workzone areas. There are many
similarities between the projects, so
as the projects mature, automation
efforts could be teamed up.” Above: The western It is not uncommon for mountain
states of the USA are communities to boast heated
especially prone to
Prevention rockfalls
driveways or even roadways. Notable
Rather than alerting drivers to examples include the Schweitzer
problems or dealing with the fallout, mountain roads in the northwestern
is there not scope for addressing the US state of Idaho, streets and
issue at its origin? One of the original sidewalks in Holland, Michigan, and
recommendations from CDOT’s 2014 even Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates’s
safety assessment was to install driveway. Could a similar technology
automated anti-icing systems. CDOT prevent Glenwood Canyon’s roads
did just this with its roadside spray from freezing in the first place?
system known as FAST (fixed “The big issue would be the
automated spray technology). But amount of energy that was required,
maintenance has been problematic. the volume of water it would create
“At the west exit of Hanging Lake and where it would all go,” says
Tunnel in Glenwood Canyon a de-icing Curtis. “For now at least salts
system was installed, but is no longer and plowing are what we have to
in service,” says Curtis. “Instead help improve safety, but in time
employees apply magnesium chloride variable speed limits should make
using snowplow trucks.” a huge difference.”

042 Traffic Technology International January 2018


www.TrafficTechnologyToday.com
FREE SERVICE!
2018
January

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road des blackspots


tion
nica
| Commu d
Connecte es
USDOT’s leng
streetlig
hts ming, the ronting chal ows
In Wyo conf
nected Pilot is and DSRC shad
NG
| Con
ton city
is leading Vehicle
coverage
of rural
URI Washing
How onein a streetligh
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FEAT the way of Things revo
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Internet
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Your esse tation commun
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Your essential guide to the future of transportation communications

A working relationship
T
Toyota to investigate how humans respond to connected and autonomous vehicle technologies
oyota’s Collaborative Safety (CAV), offer tremendous promise to “The development of advanced vehicle
Research Center (CSRC) has help improve road safety, but important technologies may be progressing faster
announced five research projects questions remain about the most than the ability of some people to
focused on better understanding beneficial interaction with drivers, appreciate their capabilities, and it’s
how drivers use and respond to advanced and how they can be educated about safe important to identify how drivers actually
vehicle technologies. CAV operation. Four of the five research understand and use these emerging
In partnership with five US research projects will focus on societal acceptance systems,” said Chuck Gulash, CSRC’s
institutions, the projects will launch as and generate data-driven insights into the director. “Working with our partner
part of CSRC Next, the Center’s five-year use of these technologies. The collected institutions, and openly sharing our
program designed to facilitate a transition data can support their effective insights with the broader community, we
to future mobility concepts. integration, foster safer driving behaviors, believe that we can help to progress
Emerging technologies, such as and offer potential countermeasures society’s acceptance of these new and
connected and autonomous vehicles to risky driving behavior. promising technologies.”

46: Beat black spots 52: Smart lighting


We visit Wyoming for an In addition to illuminating
update on its Connected the road for drivers
Vehicle Pilot, and discover and pedestrians, smart
how engineers are using streetlights are increasingly
satellites to solve problems being used to form the
with rural coverage and structural basis of traffic
repositioning antenna to and infrastructure
beat DSRC ‘shadows’. communication networks.

January 2018 Traffic Technology International


www.TrafficTechnologyToday.com 045
V2X Pilot Update |

Communication
black spots
As the USDOT Connected Vehicle Pilots near the end of
their initial deployment stages, James Gordon gets an
update from Wyoming, and discovers how experts there
are attempting to solve problems around rural coverage
and DSRC ‘shadows’

046 Traffic Technology International January 2018


www.TrafficTechnologyToday.com
| V2X Pilot Update

W
ith the second phase
of the USDOT’s
Connected Vehicle Over the last year, we’ve
Pilots in Wyoming, successfully formalized
Tampa and New York at an advanced
stage, it is a busy time for program all agreements and have finalized
managers and their teams. The the system architecture
deployment phase is due to end Vince Garcia, ITS program manager, WYDOT
in April 2018.
In Wyoming, winter is snow and ice on the state’s I-80
when the effects of the new corridor. It is hoped that, with V2X
pilot are most keenly technology, such risks can be mitigated.
monitored. This location Vince Garcia is Wyoming
was chosen by the USDOT Department of Transportation’s
to particularly test the (WYDOT) GIS/ITS program manager,
effectiveness of connected and he is happy with the progress
vehicle technology in that his team is making. “Over
reducing the impacts of the last year, we’ve successfully
inclement weather. Traffic, a high formalized all agreements and have
percentage of which is made up of finalized the system architecture,”
trucks, often has to battle severe he says. “We have installed 10% of

January 2018 Traffic Technology International


www.TrafficTechnologyToday.com 047
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V2X Pilot Update | | COMTRANS Smart City Winner

the 75 roadside units, which can


now broadcast and receive messages
via dedicated short-range
V2X cybersecurity
communication (DSRC) channels.
We hope to install the remaining 65
For all three Connected Vehicle Pilots, the security of
units by spring 2018. As for onboard the comms is of utmost importance

W
units, we have equipped 10 of 400
ith the world near a Expressway Authority] CV Pilot But what are the future
vehicles with onboard units, and connected vehicle team is working toward obtaining challenges surrounding this
plan to complete the deployment revolution, the risk of the device certifications security mechanism?
by August 2018.” cyberattacks grows. To reduce necessary to access the SCMS, “We have made great
With the technical infrastructure the probability of vehicles and in cooperation with the OmniAir progress with the SCMS
in place by spring 2018, Garcia their owners falling victim to Consortium. After receiving the integration, but there is a long
confirmed that his 20-strong team cyberterrorism, all three pilots certifications, the devices will way to go before it can be fully
will be carrying out “a rigorous and are integrating with the Proof be registered with the SMCS integrated into the system
significant program of operational of Concept Security Certificate to obtain its root certificate architecture,” says Tony English,
readiness testing through August Management Systems (SCMS), and have the ability to receive WYDOT’s systems development
which use digital certification certificates, which allows the lead. “For the WYDOT CV Pilot
2018”, which he says is necessary to to ensure drivers receive vehicles to access the Tampa we plan to begin enrollment
show to the pilot’s project partners valid BSMs and TIMs that CV Pilot applications. into the QA SCMS system in late
that the CV program is “ready to have not been intercepted or “That way, all connected December 2017 and into the
seamlessly transition to the operational manipulated by fraudulent vehicles and roadside proof of concept system at the
readiness demonstration phase”. actors. equipment can trust others end of Q1 2018 with certified
“Our operational readiness testing HNTB’s senior project that have trusted certificates. devices. For overall security,
will last until October 2019 and manager, Steve Novosad, Unlike the internet, the we have found we need to use
during this important phase we’ll be who works closely with the connected vehicle system the SCMS for CV certificates
carrying out acceptance tests weekly Tampa, Florida pilot, provides included cybersecurity and other certificate
the following update: “The measures as one of its management systems for all
on the key applications, including – THEA [Tampa Hillsborough fundamental elements.” other aspects of security.”
but not limited to – forward collision
warning, distress notification, and
V2I situational awareness, which will
not only demonstrate the efficacy of only cover around 35% of I-80 in
the technology design, but also that Wyoming. Therefore, we are using
the SAE and IEEE standards that
We are using a satellite interface a satellite interface that enables us
we have embedded are robust and that enables us to relay traveler to relay traveler information messages
resilient enough to be fully rolled information messages to connected (TIM) from our traffic management
out on the I-80 corridor.” center in Cheyenne to connected
But the path to the third and final
trucks outside of the range of our trucks traveling on the I-80 corridor
demonstration phase has not been roadside units connected vehicles that are outside
easy. Garcia says that while his team Tony English, systems development lead,
of the range of our RSUs.”
has successfully negotiated many And with bouts of inclement
WYDOT Connected Vehicle Pilot
system architecture hurdles, some weather often creating treacherous
design challenges remain.

Rural coverage
Shedding further light on
the technological barriers
faced, and those that the
team is still wrestling with,
are Tony English, the
WYDOT project’s systems
development lead, and
Shane Zumpf, who oversees
software development for the pilot.
Says English, “Our project differs
from the other two in that it covers
a 402-mile [650km] stretch of road. As
we are deploying 75 roadside units Right: Installing an
(RSU), we realized that as each RSU OBU into a snowplow
cab. It is planned that
has a range of approximately 300m a total of 400 vehicles
[985ft], even if we placed them in the will be involved in the
most strategic areas, the RSUs would Wyoming pilot

Traffic Technology
August/September 2016 Traffic
International
Technology January
International
2018
www.TrafficTechnologyToday.com
www.TrafficTechnologyToday.com ???
049
V2X Pilot Update |

driving conditions, the team has been


carrying out continuous system checks
on the RSUs and antennas to ensure
Testing in NYC
they can function in all weathers.
Says Zumpf, “All of our RSU There is potential for the NYCDOT Connected Vehicle
devices are working through Pilot to act as a proving ground for OEM technology
certification to 4.1 final specification,

W
which means they will remain fully hile the National But, ahead of any such lead says, “The RSUs will
operable in temperatures from -30°C Highway Traffic decision, the New York City be able to receive any DSRC
to 40°C [-22°F to 104°F]. We will carry Safety Administration Connected Vehicle Pilot message from any standard in-
out testing this winter to check that this (NHTSA) and the Department of Program could theoretically vehicle device. If OEMs wish to
is the case. We are also monitoring the Transport have not made any provide a key testing ground test a vehicle, or their own RSU
effect that high winds, very common final decision on the proposed for V2V and V2I technologies. in the catchment area, they
rule-making concerning a Will OEMs be able to make will be able to receive our
on vast tracts of the I-80 corridor in
V2V mandate, such a ruling use of this real-world proving information on their unit. The
January and February, will have on could be a tipping point for the ground to test cutting-edge messages are standard, and so
the brackets and antennas.” connected vehicle revolution, connected vehicle technology if they bring a vehicle into the
and, crucially, a landmark in the near future? testing grounds, they should
Beating DSRC shadows moment in framing a universal Dr Mohamad Talas, the be able to receive and interpret
With 70% of the 400 vehicles involved global Vision Zero strategy. NYCDOT project management standard messages, too.”
in the pilot weighing over 38 tons,

Tall and long trailers can create is used by the onboard unit to create
alerts for forward collision warning
DSRC shadows, which if not and other applications.”
tackled, could mean that a motorist So how did WYDOT’s engineers
does not get a basic safety message eliminate this problem?
Says English, “We are conducting
Tony English, systems development lead,
a battery of real-world tests to
WYDOT Connected Vehicle Pilot
determine the optimum position to
install the antenna system so that
and some cabs pulling two trailers, long vehicles could receive full line-
one issue the team has worked hard of-sight coverage for the majority of
on is to ensure that the technology journeys. We feel we have a good
is compatible with articulated goods solution for the snowplows with a
vehicles, some of which can be up high-mounted center antenna on the
Below right: Road to 100ft (30m) long. vehicle. We will begin testing with
sensors have been English explains, “At the full-sized tractor trailers in the
fitted to snowplows beginning of the current phase, we spring. We realize we will not solve
in Wyoming. Data discovered that large vehicles with this problem, but feel that by testing
from these can
tall and long trailers can create DSRC some combinations of a center high-
be accessed by all
connected vehicles shadows, which if not tackled could mounted antennas and mirror-
using in-cab display mean that a trucker does not get mounted antennas, we will find
units (left and below) a basic safety message [BSM], which an acceptable solution.”

050 Traffic Technology International January 2018


www.TrafficTechnologyToday.com
FREE SERVICE!
2018
January

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Lighting Comms |

lighting the way


A new machine vision traffic monitoring system
uses existing smart streetlight infrastructure to
create an advanced, streamlined data network.
Michael Donlevy finds out more

052 Traffic Technology International January 2018


www.TrafficTechnologyToday.com
| Lighting Comms

S
mart streetlights are evolving
rapidly. They’re diversifying,
too, in that they can be Insight’s Power Line Carrier
used for more than simply
illuminating dark city thoroughfares.
allows for monitoring along
The concept of using smart lights to unsignalized corridors without the
monitor traffic, track congestion and installation of a wireless mesh network
influence town planning has been in
Adam Miles, associate traffic engineer, City of Spokane
development for some time, but now
Street Department
it’s starting to become a reality.
One high-profile example
is the city of Spokane in Regal Street and 44th Avenue – using
Washington, which recently two cameras and a SmartServer,”
completed a Phase 1 pilot says Adam Miles, associate traffic
scheme using Echelon’s engineer at the City of Spokane Street
InSight Cognitive Vision Department. “Data was compared
System to monitor its against conventional tube counts and
traffic levels. stop-bar inductance loop counts to
The proof-of-concept determine accuracy. Preliminary
deployment tested the results showed Insight counts were
ability of intelligent cameras fitted to consistent with the tube counts and
streetlights to accurately count traffic significantly better than stop-bar
on the city’s streets, and the data counts during the daytime.”
was impressive. The streetlight-based system is
“The pilot ran from April to June easier to deploy and more versatile
2017 and covered one intersection – than conventional counters, and as

January 2018 Traffic Technology International


www.TrafficTechnologyToday.com 053
COMTRANS
Lighting Comms | City Winner |
Smart

the system communicates over the


lighting network, it can be deployed
on any lamppost, not just those at
junctions with traffic control boxes.
Bright ideas
These things interest Spokane
as the pilot broadens its reach. “We How the cognitive lighting system works
were encouraged by the results and
we’re installing a larger Phase 2 pilot
along the Division Street corridor in
our University District,” Miles
confirms. The plan, if Phase 2 is
successful, will then be to roll out
the system over a much wider area.

Seeing the light


Spokane is the first city to trial
InSight, which is being marketed as
an Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT)
technology to support smart city
applications. In technological terms,
traffic data is collected and processed
at the ‘edge’ of the network, instead
of on a central server, to minimize
bandwidth requirements. Echelon
combines smart cameras with its own
central management system – known
as LumInsight.
This is more than simply about
number crunching, too, because each
unit analyzes video streams locally
and makes decisions about how bright
each individual light should be – so 1
they can be brighter during peak Each light has
hours and dimmer during off-peak a controller fitted
hours. Intelligent control systems can that will adjust the
therefore save energy by cutting CO2 lighting according
emissions, and in Spokane, Miles was to any program
impressed. “Energy-saving results
were in line with the 30-35% savings
projected prior to the pilot,” he says.
The system can also send data
to a central location for use by
other city departments.
Echelon plans to eventually add
more features to InSight, including
vehicle classification, vehicle speed
maps, traffic signal timing and which we can work together. The
parking intelligence. These systems
We employ sophisticated base technology will ultimately be
can also potentially monitor road learning algorithms that made available as a standard
conditions, measure pollution and increase counting accuracy over platform for integrators
Intelligenttocameras
create at the
manage pedestrians – especially at their own applications through
intersection provide
stadia, parks and busy junctions – time with more data a set of published APIs.”responsiveness.
dynamic
although these functions are still Apurba Pradhan, senior director of product “Live traffic information is
some way off. management, Echelon a starting point,” Miles agrees.
“Interfacing with traffic “Eventually 24/7/365 traffic data by
signals has the potential for intelligent transportation systems lane can lead to more detailed traffic
improved traffic flow, but it industry, and limitations imposed analysis and planning. And Insight’s
has a number of challenges by jurisdictional boundaries,” says Power Line Carrier enables monitoring
including consideration of Apurba Pradhan, senior director of along unsignalized corridors without
liability, compliance with product management at Echelon. installing a wireless mesh network.”
existing products and “There’s an entire industry dedicated It won’t happen overnight, though.
standards, an entrenched to ITS and we’re exploring ways in “As a pilot project, the city is still

???
054 Traffic Technology International January
www.TrafficTechnologyToday.com
August/September
2018 2016
| COMTRANS Smart
| Lighting
City Comms
Winner

2 3
Intelligent cameras Data streams are
record traffic flow in analyzed and can
each direction at be used to control
an intersection the lights

5
The data streams are stored
in the cloud and can be used to
help local authorities with traffic
management (including pedestrian
and bicycle analytics) and planning
policy in aspects such as safety, road
conditions, vehicle classification,
parking-related intelligence,
vehicle speed maps and traffic

4
signal timing

The segment controller


in the traffic cabinet interface
can be set to increase light
levels to full output during
a long way from high traffic periods “The prototype camera used for that increase counting accuracy
implementing – rush hour – and reduce Insight failed after a few months over time with more data. Having
any new plans,” light levels during low because it still needed to undergo a customer like Spokane, with
he adds. “Right traffic periods
Controls increase light a ‘ruggedization’ process,” says clear goals, which is willing to
now, we’re more levels to full output during Miles. “Echelon has completed test and provide feedback in
concerned with high traffic periods and that process and a new camera a real-world setting, has
proving the concept and reduce light levels during will be tested in Phase 2.” been invaluable.”
determining how this new low traffic periods. “From a product perspective, the There are costs, however, says
technology and its capabilities biggest challenge is convincing users Dr Theo Tryfonas, reader in smart
may be integrated into a long-term that it’s secure, reliable and accurate,” cities at the University of Bristol in
approach to data gathering.” says Pradhan. “We had to design the the UK: “This technology does
system to be redundant and failsafe. involve some significant
The road ahead We had to ensure performance over computational overheads that require
There will be challenges with any a range of conditions, including rain either more power at the edge or
pilot project, and Spokane raised one and snow vibration. We employ improved communications between
issue that Echelon has had to address: sophisticated learning algorithms the light and a collecting computer.

August/September 2016 Traffic Technology International


January 2018
www.TrafficTechnologyToday.com 055
???
Lighting Comms |

It all adds to the cost of the


infrastructure eventually.”
The next issue is the installation Lights, cameras, inaction?
itself, in terms of supporting the
traffic cameras and monitoring Why it may be some time before European streetlights
workflow through the provider’s
management software. In the future,
are gathering traffic data

S
the systems will be installed by mart LED streetlighting in Europe? Dr Theo Tryfonas
traffic and lighting maintenance projects are gaining at the University of Bristol,
crews rather than the provider’s own popularity around Europe sounds a note of caution:
engineers, so it’s vital the system is where the vast majority of “In terms of collating traffic
straightforward to install, operate lighting infrastructure is aging. data, smart lights aren’t being
and maintain. New lights save authorities trialled to the extent they could
It’s also the product’s unique large amounts of money, be,” he says. “But this isn’t
thanks to the lower overall necessarily a bad thing as a lot
properties that make establishing
energy consumption of LEDs of regulation and compliance
it a challenge. “This is innovative and the fact that they can issues have to be resolved
technology,” says Pradhan. “We be easily dimmed. A few before widespread deployment
know of no city-wide deployment of percentage points less light can can happen. Including those
traffic-counting systems using the be unnoticeable to the human surrounding personal data, if
lighting network for data backhaul eye – but very noticeable when faces are visible in the video.
or adaptive lighting. There have the lower bill comes in. And as there are no real
been some pilots using various So, how about now standards set yet,
technologies, but the challenge has harnessing these systems it’s early days in
for wider traffic monitoring that sense.”
been achieving a cost-effective and
reliable network with peer-to-peer
communication capability to pull
this off on a large scale.”
“Resilient hardware is a challenge,
given that operational conditions amounts of data in the cloud. As “Spokane prefers hardline
may feature the likes of dust, an example, last year security networks due to security risks,”
rain and wind,” says Tryfonas. expert Denis Legezo, from Russian says Miles. “Our focus now is on how
“Maintaining sensors is another anti-virus developer Kaspersky, we can leverage technology to add
issue, as they degrade over time.” successfully manipulated traffic use cases to existing infrastructure –
And that is another factor – time. lights in Moscow simply by finding in this case, vehicle detection systems
“Public procurement is usually a their instruction manuals online and throughout the traffic signal network
slow process, for good reasons,” following their directions. and the hardline wire network to
Tryfonas adds. “The capital costs of “If you succeed in identifying each streetlight.”
smart systems are potentially higher the model of a road sensor, you “Cybersecurity is becoming more
up-front and the value of what a smart can find various documentation and more of a focus for IoT systems,”
light adds to a city’s operations is still on the vendor’s site (or that of their Pradhan adds. “We have to manage
under discussion, as there are more integrator), and, if you are lucky security at multiple levels, starting from
testbeds than real deployments. enough, you will also find the device to gateway to cloud software
Using infrastructure that goes hand- software used for working with security. We use proven standards for
in-hand with potentially opening up the devices,” he wrote in his report. encryption and authentication to
data to the public is always ensure a secure network.”
challenging politically as well – even “Given the adoption rate, a serious
for ‘benign’ environmental data. For Our focus now is on how we incident isn’t a remote possibility, but
example, the levels of traffic or air can leverage technology to add it is still unlikely,” says Tryfonas.
pollution may indicate the failure of use cases to existing infrastructure – “Cybersecurity will – or should –
measures put in place by local or become a key concern in the mid-term.
national governments, so some in this case, vehicle detection systems It’s difficult to imagine a direct threat
authorities may be cautious not to throughout the traffic signal network to life from such systems, as opposed
open such cans of worms.” Adam Miles, associate traffic engineer, City of to future electrical distribution
Spokane Street Department systems or smart traffic lights, but the
Matters of security compromise of personal data could
As with so much new be an issue. That will depend on the
technology, another capabilities of each streetlight, which
challenge is security, which could vary from being recorded on
is particularly prescient in camera, to wi-fi connectivity to the
this case because so many lamppost, to more advanced
cities now store vast functionalities yet to be imagined…”

056 Traffic Technology International January 2018


www.TrafficTechnologyToday.com
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Technology Profile |

Using deep learning


to 3D map Japan
L
ike anywhere else,
autonomous driving is
one of the fastest growing
areas of technology in Japan.
This is especially true now, so
that self-driving vehicles will
be ready for the Tokyo Olympic
Games in 2020. The
implementation is to start in
metropolitan areas, with high-
precision maps of city highways.
Then high-precision maps of
streets outside metropolitan
areas will follow, to provide
supporting transportation
for Japan’s growing senior
population.
However, expanding
coverage of high-precision
3D maps is not a simple task.
The enormous amount of data
gathered by specialized survey
vehicles is one of the reasons.
One survey vehicle can easily
accumulate a few TBs of data in
one day and it’s not getting any
smaller due to the improvements Image: Zenrin Co., Ltd
of the sensors the vehicles carry.

High road density tremendously in recent years. images. This technology is also makers need to solve is that
Japan is densely covered with Many autonomous vehicles expected to improve efficiency general algorithms, such as
roads and features that need already use deep learning to when applied to production of pattern matching, need to be
to be included in high-precision detect road objects from camera high-precision 3D maps. highly customized to process
maps. According to a 2017 white Japanese road information.
paper on traffic safety published Loaded with data For example, road signs in the
by the Japanese government’s | Need to know In general, high-precision 3D USA are rectangular with text
Cabinet Office, the total length maps are loaded with data such information, while those in
of roads in Japan is 1,220,724km The challenges of as the geometry and location Japan are round with graphical
(758,523 miles), with 208,000 of road signs, traffic signals, information, and there are
3D mapping in Japan
traffic signals and 9,790,000 lane markings and road edges, many variations.
signposts. In an ideal world, along with 3D dimensions. All Deep learning may produce
all of it could be mapped > One survey vehicle can must have sub-meter precision. a major change because the deep
automatically, but actual roads easily collect a few TBs The data is usually extracted neural network architecture that
are highly complex and have of data in a single day from 2D camera images and mimics the human brain can
many exceptions that cannot be > The total length of roads fused with 3D point cloud learn the best feature values
processed accurately by a simple in Japan is 758,523 miles data. Road element extraction for extracting the road elements
algorithm. We still encounter > There are 208,000 traffic from 2D camera images is from data. This means road
many instances that have to signals and 9,790,000 the key to accelerating the signs of different countries,
be manually processed off-line. signposts in the country mapping process, and using including Japan, could be
On the other hand, deep > Due to road variations, fully computer vision for this task detected with high accuracy just
learning, a new area of machine automating the production has always been on the mind by feeding the neural network
learning, has helped image of maps is challenging of map makers. However, one with road sign images from each
recognition performance of the issues Japanese map country. To achieve high

058 Traffic Technology International January 2018


www.TrafficTechnologyToday.com
| Our Man in Amsterdam
Richard Butter

Inventing new technology


is sometimes easier than
getting people to use it

Left: A survey
vehicle collecting
data for mapping
in Japan

It is wintertime. You
open the curtains and
see rain pouring down.
As a commuter you know what this means:
congestion, big time. Nevertheless you
jump into your car and do what most
commuters do in this situation: you drive
a little and then end up staring at the back
of a long line of traffic.
Why, when we know there is
congestion on our roads, do we feel
pressure to get into our cars instead of
staying at home? Especially in this age
where we are connected everywhere –
and certainly at home. Why don’t we
start our working day at home, make a “We will never solve the
few calls, do our email and reschedule
a meeting? The answer, I think, is our issue of congestion if
old-fashioned office mentality. We feel
that we should be at the office to avoid we don’t change our
having our colleagues think that we aren’t
working. But in this era of connectivity, it mindset first”
is complete nonsense to feel that way. We
must trust each other – but that is another
discussion in itself.
precision, the deep neural We will never solve the issue of driver assistance features. He took his
network will require enormous traffic congestion if we don’t change our son, who just got his driving license,
amounts of data to learn, but mindsets first. So are there any other on a 200km (125-mile) roundtrip to see
parts of our current thinking that could be his grandmother in the northern part of
thankfully we, the mapmakers,
holding us back from realizing the true the Netherlands. On the way there they
already have a huge database
potential of our roads? drove with all features on, and on the way
of road images. I believe another potential barrier is back drove with them all off – the ‘old
Japanese mapmakers have our generation’s inability to completely fashioned way’, so to say. Interestingly,
great expectations for the future adopt new technologies. For example, his son didn’t feel comfortable driving
of deep learning. Seeing the I drive a Mitsubishi Outlander that has with all the features off.
rapid advances in the research several autonomous features, such It is safe to say that the new generation
and development of deep as adaptive cruise control and lane Z, born between 1995 and 2012, is ready
learning gives us hope for departure assistance. However, the first for autonomous driving and their mindset
the full automation of complex thing I do each morning is disconnect is different from ours. This generation
road scenes in the future. the lane departure assistance because is growing up in a highly sophisticated
of the annoying sound it makes when the media and computer environment. They
vehicle crosses road markings. It feels are more internet savvy and expert than
more like an obstacle than a supportive we (generations X and Y) will ever be.
| inquiry
Free reader
service
feature and that has something to do with
my generation – we were not raised on
The new generation will be completely
ready for autonomous driving, even if
connectivity and iPads. our generation won’t. And in the years to
In that respect, I heard an interesting come, congestion will disappear ‘as snow
Zenrin inquiry no. 501 story from a friend who did a nice for the sun’ (a Dutch saying).
To learn more about this advertiser, please experiment. He is responsible for a
visit: www.ukimediaevents.com/info/tfm startup that deals with multimodality • Richard Butter is director of traffic technology
service cards and he drives the latest at RAI Amsterdam and is responsible for Intertraffic
‘autonomous’ Audi with more than 100 worldwide events, www.intertraffic.com

January 2018 Traffic Technology International


www.TrafficTechnologyToday.com 059
Technology Profile |

Implementing a new
weigh-in-motion standard
R
oad authorities, toll road
concessionaires and
enforcement agencies keep
control on overloaded trucks by
using different static and
dynamic weighing systems.
What systems and technologies
are used for enforcement
depend on the national
legislation, requirements, road
and environmental conditions.
For example, the Netherlands
uses high-speed weigh-in-motion
(WIM) pre-selection systems
in combination with static
weighing systems, Brazil uses
high-speed pre-selection with
low-speed WIM at weigh
stations, and Australia employs
onboard weighing systems in its
Intelligent Access Program.
For several years there have
been three international
standards on WIM: COST-323
European WIM Specification;
ASTM-E1318: the American
Specification for Highway WIM
Systems; and OIML-R134
recommendation for automatic
instruments for weighing road Manufacturers and governments
vehicles in motion. All three have expressed the need for a
simple standard, covering systems
specifications have been used
for WIM enforcement
over the past years to determine
the performance of WIM
systems globally. Each
document has its specific bring together a selected installed on, in or under the distinguishes three levels of
advantages and applications. group of experts to develop road infrastructure, including tests that are generally used for
However, none of the three a practical WIM standard, both roads and bridges, measuring instruments for legal
specifications apply to the use independent of technologies independent of which type of purposes: type approval, initial
of WIM systems for direct and road conditions. This measuring technology is used. verification and in-service
enforcement under regular new NMi WIM standard It applies to high-speed WIM verification. This one-time
(high-speed) highway contains system performance systems operated under testing approach provides
conditions. For years, there specifications, test procedures free-flow traffic conditions maximum confidence to the
has been a need from the WIM and recommendations on and may also be used for buyer/user on the performance
industry for a full international site selection, calibration low-speed WIM systems since of the WIM system, yet results
standard for WIM systems. and example test plans. Any they operate in a more in minimum costs for the
buyer or vendor of WIM controlled measurement vendor for the test procedures.
A purpose-built system systems, road authority, environment. Further vehicle The new standard combines
NMi is a designated authority national metrology institute, dynamics are more restricted. both laboratory testing and road
for the certification of police or bureau for weights and The standard is developed in testing. An approved metrology
measuring instruments, such as measures, may use the a way that manufacturers and institute performs laboratory
speed meters, evidential breath standard as a basis for involved authorities have testing. Road testing (i.e.
analyzers and dynamic national approval. guidance and requirements to verification) is to be performed
weighing systems. In 2016, The standard applies to test, verify and certify the by a local metrology service
NMi took the initiative to fixed and portable WIM systems WIM systems. The standard where the system is installed.

060 Traffic Technology International January 2018


www.TrafficTechnologyToday.com
| Technology Profile

| Need to know First year report


The UNI 10772 key facts on an ALPR standard

A
> The Italian standard pril 2016 saw Italy completed the setup of an
for video image introduce a new edition appropriate location for this.
processing of all ALPR of UNI 10772, the ALPR The other topic is testing
standard. A year after its at high speed. In the standard,
identification systems
implementation, here are some there are three base speeds (26,
> Unique in European reflections on its impact. 50 and 70km/h) that have to be
requirements, it has The first impression is that tested in the laboratory. If the
been in place since 1998, quality requirements for the EUT is tested at higher speeds,
with an updated edition equipment are stricter, because the test could also be executed
introduced in 2016 these requirements force outside the laboratory using,
> The standard now manufacturers to use advanced for example, an automotive
requires specified tests technical solutions. Since the circuit. NMi laboratory is ready
to be performed at standard is relatively new, to test up to 230km/h. This
some interpretations are under has been chosen because it is
a range of speed and
discussion and a couple the top speed requirement for
lighting conditions of issues have been raised. One homologation of speed meters
of these is the distinction of under Italy’s new decree.
the ALPR homologation with Further development of UNI
The system certification the motion detection (or free 10772 standard is foreseen
involves the testing and run) technique used by the since it is considered more and
cameras. The target for the more as a base or part of other
approval based on an (inter-)
UNI 10772 is to certify European ALPR legislations.
national standard. System the capability of character The aim of the process is
certificates are issued by NMi recognition. An EUT (Equipment to create a European ALPR
or the national metrology Under Test) that works using standard, utilizing the
authority in the country where motion detection will need to experience and knowledge of
the system is installed. This be verified and NMi has the UNI 10772 application.
phase is typically initiated by
the manufacturer of WIM
systems or by the end user.
Data quality control involves
The implementation of maintenance, calibration and
WIM systems for direct data quality checks to assure the
enforcement consists of three systems continue to operate
elements: legal acceptance, within specifications. This phase
system certification and data is generally developed by the
quality control. All three manufacturer and independent
elements are essential to certify experts, in cooperation with the
the system for legal purposes end user, under a quality system
and to remain valid during approved in the country where
its verification period. the system is installed.
The legal acceptance The standard has already
involves the adaptation of been translated into Spanish
national legislation in order for Argentinian legislation. More
to use the WIM measurements countries are translating their
as legal evidence for
overloading and acceptance
legislation, which has a positive
impact on the global acceptance Author: Cock Oosterman, head
| inquiry
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by a national court. An end of NMi certificates. The certification manager at NMi,
user or national metrology manufacturer, together with nmi@nmi.nl; NMi inquiry no. 502
To learn more about this advertiser, please
authority generally initiates local authorities, can arrange visit: www.ukimediaevents.com/info/tfm
this phase. this system validation.

January 2018 Traffic Technology International


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Technology Profile |

Reducing emissions in the city


A
ir quality is a growing
source of concern for both
the general public and
| Need to know
those tasked with tackling it.
Vehicle emissions are a major
Key elements of
contributor to this problem, Dynniq’s Virtual
particularly in city centers. Emissions Monitor
“In the pursuit of improved (VEM) technology
air quality, structurally banning
polluting traffic from the city
center and positioning expensive > The VEM can calculate
measuring instruments to localized emissions in real
continuously measure the air time without the need for
quality are unnecessary extra on-street hardware
measures,” says Cees de Wijs, > It instantaneously
CEO of Dynniq. “Governments combines data on speed,
should make more use of available flow and vehicle mix
data to decrease emissions from > Adaptors allow the taking
traffic to supply cleaner air.” in of data from SCOOT,
Dynniq has developed Google and Bluetooth/
the Virtual Emissions Monitor ALPR systems
(VEM), to help reduce these > A project in Manchester,
vehicle emissions and their UK, reduced NOX emissions
environmental impact. by 9-13%

Data-driven approach
The VEM provides an effective, detailed as the traffic data itself. detection points in the Dutch by delivering term-time NOX
data-driven approach to This approach is not intended National Data Warehouse. levels similar to those recorded
calculating localized emissions to replace traditional air quality It also has adaptors allowing during school holiday periods.
from road transport in real modeling but to provide a data to be taken in from SCOOT As a result, emissions fell by
time, without the need for complementary tool that allows (Split Cycle Offset Optimisation between 9% and 13%.
additional on-street equipment. air quality to be targeted by Technique), Google and
Traditionally, air quality is authorities as part of their day- Bluetooth/ALPR journey time Proof of concept trial
measured using expensive on to-day operations. The outputs systems, making the system The VEM, which gives operators
street equipment, supplemented can be integrated into other equally suited to urban and real-time, spatial detailed insight
by highly aggregated models platforms or used as a inter-urban networks. into emissions on their network,
that simulate the dispersion and standalone system with the web- has already been trialled as a
breakdown of pollutants from based interactive dashboard. Improving air quality proof of concept and is a key
sources including traffic and Dynniq has recently Dynniq is actively exploring component in a number of
industrial sites. While ideal for undertaken a development how the VEM can be used ongoing projects. Keen to work
understanding long-term trends program to prove its Virtual to drive decision making and with clients to explore the new
across an area, this approach Emissions technology in Europe. improve air quality. The UK’s operational possibilities that this
cannot use the detailed real- The technology, which is Department for Transport enables, Dynniq wants to
time traffic data that is establishing itself in various UK funded the AQUARIA (Air expand air quality management
increasingly available, and cities, is also gaining traction as Quality Urban Analysis of Real- from something that happens
therefore cannot reflect changes an innovative approach to the time Information and Actuation) offline, through planning and
in traffic speed or volume due emissions problem across Europe. project that took place on a strategy to something that is
to changes in signal timings, traffic corridor in Manchester in part of everyday business as
variable speed limits and so on. Live demonstrations early 2016. Transport for Greater usual – just like dealing with
The VEM instantaneously Dynniq has live demonstration Manchester used the VEM to incidents and congestion.
combines data on speed, flow systems using the Highways identify modifications to traffic In addition, the company is
and vehicle mix, to estimate England MIDAS (Motorway signal timings to produce a working behind the scenes to
emissions in real time. The Incident Detection and targeted traffic control plan make the system more scalable,
resulting emissions data can Automatic Signalling) network that aimed to avoid or shorten to support multiple users and
be as spatially and temporally in the UK and the 16,000 traffic NOX concentration exceedance, higher volume big data. This is

062 Traffic Technology International January 2018


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| Driving Revenue
by J J Eden

Electric vehicles are


better than ever – and
are here to stay

Dynniq develops advanced Autonomous vehicles


technology solutions that (AVs) will certainly be
can make transportation a disruptive technology
safer and more efficient and they may have significant influences on
today’s transportation systems. But experts
wonder: will the current rapid pace of AV
development and deployment continue?
Will government set standards, and impose
restrictions, and will any new government
interaction with the technology slow its
deployment? Will this impact other related
technological advances?
Those related technological advances
include ‘clean vehicles’, or alternatively-
fueled vehicles. These electric, hydrogen
and hybrid propulsion technologies have
not only caught the eye of the consumer, but
also continue to crush opponents’ objections
through innovation and implementation.
Only a few years ago, it was feared that “Almost all vehicle
in-vehicle battery technology would only
last five years, battery replacements would manufacturers will
cost tens of thousands of dollars, and electric
vehicles (EVs) could not meet public be delivering electric
demands for performance, safety or range.
Wrong. The hybrid Prius was the first to vehicles by 2020”
disprove the battery lifespan and replacement
something Dynniq would like to cost theory. Performance? The Motor Trend
trial with a customer responsible annual World’s Greatest Drag Race left the
for a large, highly instrumented other concerns in the dust: it was amazing
network. It is looking to develop to even see an all-electric four-door sedan current electric grid support the installation
and trial integration of the VEM entered in a race against some of the top of multi-bay EV charging stations?
with its existing ImCity platform muscle cars in the world! Low centers of Do we care, or do we as infrastructure
and with its cooperative and gravity, thanks to all those batteries located managers just need to make sure the
connected technologies. under the vehicle floor, also help some market – and highway real estate – is open
aspects of vehicle handling and safety. The to multiple standards and entrants? Almost
Further enhancements effectiveness of impact crush zones are all vehicle manufacturers will be delivering
enhanced without a large internal combustion EVs by 2020, fueled either from plug-in
Dynniq is also making the
engine in the way. At the same time, ranges sources or by hydrogen generators. How
VEM available as a web service
have increased for daily commuters to over will this mix of vehicles be incorporated
through the UK government 300 miles (482km) between charges. into our existing infrastructure? Will EVs
G-Cloud framework. The aim is As the public invests more in clean be discounted in high-occupancy tolling
to incorporate more established vehicles, the demand for vehicle charging (HOT) lanes? Will the public demand
emissions predicting stations will increase. Several private chargers along our highways? There are
technologies, including PHEM companies and many municipalities have many adjustments that will need to be made
(Passenger Car and Heavy Duty installed both paid and free chargers for for both AVs and EVs.
Emission Model) to improve the EVs. Tesla alone has installed thousands of Five years ago, few people saw EVs
accuracy in a wider range of superchargers that enable full charging of as even a small part of our mobility
environments. a battery, from empty, in around 45 minutes. infrastructure. Yes there are operational
This opens longer-range trips for drivers and technical problems to work out, but
willing to take an occasional break while public demand is only going to expand
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their vehicle charges – if they are Tesla
drivers. Current chargers aren’t universally
this market. For readers that doubt the
readiness of this technology, I recommend
compatible, though: a Nissan Leaf cannot that you take a test drive. These vehicles
Dynniq inquiry no. 503 charge at a Tesla supercharger. are here to stay.
To learn more about this advertiser, please Are EVs part of the transportation
visit: www.ukimediaevents.com/info/tfm technology revolution? Will there be a J J Eden is director of tolling at Aecom
common charging platform? Can the james.eden@aecom.com

January 2018 Traffic Technology International


www.TrafficTechnologyToday.com 063
Technology Profile |

Safely guiding drivers


along roads at night
T
he risk of an accident on an
unlit road at night is much
higher than during the day.
Since at night the number and
quality of visual cues accessible
to a driver are limited, the
guiding role is taken by
horizontal road markings,
which must be retroreflective to
be visible. Retroreflectivity (RL)
of horizontal road markings is
crucial to improving road safety,
which was recently proved by
statistical analysis. An up to 23%
drop in night-time accidents
between intersections was
correlated with increasing
RL of horizontal markings
by 100 mcd/m2/lx.

Glass beads performance


Typically, RL is achieved with
drop-on glass beads embedded
in the paint layer. Standard
glass beads provide markings
with RL of approximately
350 mcd/m2/lx but only
marginal retroreflectivity (RW)
Increasing retroreflectivity
under wet conditions. A modern
of road markings has
advanced solution is the use of cut night-time accidents
SolidPlus high-performance by 23%
glass beads from Swarco.
SolidPlus is a specially
developed glass composition Right: Retroreflection
that provides extraordinary is more obvious in wet HIGH RL OBSERVATIONS
conditions for 85%
robustness, RL up to
of drivers
1,000 mcd/m2/lx, as well as high
RW. These glass beads are
suitable as drop-on material in in Poland. Results demonstrated HIGH RW OBSERVATIONS
any road marking system and that with the premium system
also provide quite high RL when RL and RW were significantly
used in yellow paint. higher than the standard system.
Instrumental measurements In addition to these 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
confirm high RL and RW with measurements, drivers’
n Noticed n Not noticed
SolidPlus. For a field test, experience was studied via
a premium thin-layer road questionnaires. Among 156
marking system comprising the valid responses, 64% of drivers are more likely to drive without of positive observations of RW
high-performance waterborne reported noticing increased RL much awareness, but are likely can be explained by a greater
paint Limboroute W15 (Swarco of the horizontal markings with to notice new safety features. relative difference in visibility.
Limburger Lackfabrik, Diez, the premium system. RL was Studies have shown that the
Germany), reflectorized with most frequently observed by Under wet conditions minimum acceptable RL is
drop-on glass beads SolidPlus people who traveled there often. High retroreflection in wet 70-100 mcd/m2/lx and under
(M. Swarovski; Amstetten, Such observations confirms conditions was more prominent wet conditions only SolidPlus
Austria) was applied on a 2km research that people who know and was observed by 85% of provided it. The results are
test stretch of National Road 28 a road and drive on it regularly drivers. This large number shown in the chart (above).

064 Traffic Technology International January 2018


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| Technology Profile

The drivers not only noticed Above: SolidPlus beads A questionnaire showed that
high RL and RW but also 85% pump up retroreflectivity the majority of drivers noticed
for increased road safety
of them considered high increased RL and RW. It is
retroreflectivity of horizontal expected that the installation
road markings as a meaningful of road markings with very high
feature in improving road RL and RW would lead to a
safety. Such a high level of high RW, even though this is significant decrease in the
positive response is likely a broadly studied topic and number of accidents.
caused by subconscious RW is demanded by various Road administrators should
perception of safety on roads road authorities. The effect therefore demand such road
that are well marked. might be large, similar to that marking systems to increase
| Need to know measured for the introduction road safety. It must be
Lack of research of road marking lines, because remembered that additional
While there are scientific of such a huge difference expenditures could become
Key points of reports increased RL with between visibility (RW >100 insignificant if accidents
retroreflective reduced night-time accidents, mcd/m2/lx) and its effective could be prevented. In addition,
technology peer-reviewed publications that perceived absence. Since the mobility and quality of life
would correlate high RL with overall benefit of introducing of the drivers would increase,
road safety are absent, which road markings was calculated which is an important social
> Retroreflective horizontal is most likely caused by the to exceed costs by 60 times, one factor. Furthermore, increased
road markings have been low market penetration of such might expect relatively similar durability of road marking
statistically proved to modern solutions. Interpolating effects related to providing RW. systems would lower the
reduce night-time the existing reports, positive environmental impact.
accidents by up to 23% safety effects should be Road trial demonstrations
> High-performance expected from increasing It was demonstrated by road
SolidPlus glass beads RL, because it would lead trials that very high RL and RW
are more robust than
typical solutions
to increased preview time
for drivers.
could be obtained in thin-layer
horizontal road marking by
| inquiry
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> SolidPlus provides Similarly, no scientific using SolidPlus glass beads
retroreflectivity up statistical proof has so far been and that such a system could Swarco inquiry no. 504
to 1,000 mcd/m2/lx given that would demonstrate be more durable than the To learn more about this advertiser, please
visit: www.ukimediaevents.com/info/tfm
the advantage of furnishing standard system.

January 2018 Traffic Technology International


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Technology Profile |

Managing traffic with


a single data platform
W
ith the increasing
pressure on budgets,
local authorities must
find ways to reduce overhead
costs and increase efficiency
without impacting on the
delivery of public services.
CCTV enforcement is not
exempt from this challenge.
In order to achieve this, local
authorities can take some
practical steps toward extracting
greater value from their limited
resources by employing existing
assets more effectively.

Cutting costs
Using a single, multitasking
digital video platform, such as
that developed by Videalert,
will reduce costs compared
with legacy, single-point
product solutions. It also
delivers higher levels of future
proofing as it supports multiple
civil traffic enforcement, traffic
management, parking, crime
prevention and improved
community safety applications
simultaneously using the
same infrastructure.
Videalert’s DfT
manufacturer-certified and
Videalert’s hosted platform
automates the management and | Need to know the importance of using
proven technologies in a
hosted solution is easy to enforcement of these zones more connected way. This
install and enables additional with real-time identification The benefits of is the rationale behind a new
enforcement activities to be of vehicles, including make, Videalert’s video partnership between Videalert
procured on demand, with model, color, gross weight, platform include... and Imperial Civil Enforcement
installations taking place in engine type, Euro rating and Solutions, one of the largest and
weeks rather than months. It CO2 emission band. This enables most experienced providers of
can be delivered through a the system to determine parking, environmental and
> Reduced costs compared
variety of flexible commercial whether an offense has been traffic management services.
with legacy, single-point
models to improve efficiency, committed and/or whether the This collaboration has
product solutions
increase income and enable correct tariff has been paid for resulted in an end-to-end
> Supports identification of
greater control over costs. entry into the restricted zone. solution that includes a virtual
traffic violators
This approach will be of It can also provide real-time emission-based permit system
> Installation of the system
particular interest to local intelligence to determine the that can use differential pricing
is simple, taking weeks
authorities investigating how extent of contraventions in any structures to reflect the specific
rather than months
to cost-effectively enforce clean target location. characteristics of different
> Sharing of data to multiple
air zones (CAZ) and low vehicle types. Being self-serve,
stakeholders is possible,
emission zones (LEZ) to reduce Proven technologies it automatically calculates the
increasing the value of
pollution in city centers and The challenge of encouraging specific vehicle pricing band
information captured
encourage the take-up of behavioral change to clean up during the online application
modern, cleaner vehicles. the air in our cities highlights process and provides a wealth

066 Traffic Technology International January 2018


www.TrafficTechnologyToday.com
| The Long View
by Larry Yermack

Authorities at the top must


actively plan to ensure that
we can adapt to industry and
technology developments

By the time this is


published, the ITS
World Congress will
have passed, ITS America will have a
new president, and the US Department
of Transportation (USDOT) will still be in
its anti-regulation mode. How are these
connected? Let’s look at their individual
challenges and, then, a suggestion.
First, the ITS World Congress has
been a valuable gathering place for the
industry’s community for more than 25
years, but it has not lived up to its
potential for international cooperation. It
has a board of directors and I am a long-
standing member, but its sole focus has
Left: Videalert’s been on each individual World Congress
platform can carry that takes place in a different part of the
out real-time
identification of
world each year. “Today we can access
It has always seemed to me that the
offending and
non-offending
lost opportunity was for a group – the a world of technology
vehicles in LEZs board – to work together to develop joint
ITS policy recommendations that could via our phones and
of back-office data and real-time
information to ensure effective
be offered to, and could influence,
national and local governments. I still
DOTs have no role in it”
permit enforcement, which is believe that potential exists. Years ago,
when I was ITS America (ITSA) chairman,
carried out using Videalert’s
I had ITSA work with Ertico to create a only exacerbated by this administration’s
technology. Imperial also
joint policy position on a long-forgotten disinclination toward regulation. While
provides a proven back-office topic, but that effort ran out of steam Congress has addressed automated
permit management system. before we could present anything to vehicles, the regulation to create
our respective governments. connected vehicles languishes in DOTs.
No risks or unknowns Second, ITSA will have a new There is some hope that the automotive
What is particularly significant president and a lot of work to do in order companies will deploy a common
is that this new approach is to reclaim its domestic leadership role. connected device, but there is little hope
founded on well proven, The historic core of the membership has that the departments of transportation
approved and fully integrated been the departments of transportation will take on the big policy issues.
technologies, so there are no and their role in the deployment of ITS is Thus, the two organizations with
risks or unknowns. This type increasingly being challenged by the the greatest potential influence on US
of collaboration is made possible direct provision of technology to transportation technology deployment
through the use of open customers. There was a time when DOTs are in transition and the potential
architecture platforms, enabling purchased all the ITS technology that was international partner is just focused on
easy integration with third- to be deployed. Today we can access a meetings. So here is my plea to all three.
party applications. Videalert world of technology via our phones and We are in the most challenging time
expects to announce further the DOTs have no role in it. Their for transportation in our lifetimes. We are
partnerships in the future. responsibility for network performance faced with connected, automated, electric
as well as health and safety won’t go and shared vehicles. High-speed,
away, but the ability to do that will be wireless communication is getting more
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limited because so much of the
information that travelers receive is
ubiquitous. Somebody with a megaphone
needs to articulate how they work together
not from the government. and come up with a policy framework for
Third, USDOT has failed to create the future. Any volunteers?
Videalert inquiry no. 505
To learn more about this advertiser, please a national transportation policy for the 21st
visit: www.ukimediaevents.com/info/tfm century and this failure stretches back Larry Yermack is strategic advisor to Cubic
through several prior administrations. It is Transportation Systems, USA. lyermack@gmail.com

January 2018 Traffic Technology International


www.TrafficTechnologyToday.com 067
Technology Profile |

The binary dilemma


M
ost people think of the
smartphone as precisely
that: ‘just’ a phone. They
hardly think about the
complex bundle of technology
it represents, but the reality is
that it uses a host of different
communications media to fulfill
its many functions. These can
include cellular, wi-fi, Bluetooth,
near-field communication (NFC)
and frequency modulation (FM)
receivers. However, the buyer/
user tends not to differentiate
between the capabilities of these
media – he or she will just get
on and ‘do’, and assume that
the smartphone will perform.
This is the mass-market
approach to communications
technology. It is both agnostic
and opportunistic, and it
works very well. It provides
an unfortunate contrast with
some current proposals for the
Cooperative ITS (C-ITS) sector,
where certain major players are
looking to be more prescriptive
about communications media.
They are in fact promoting
the use of a single medium –
cellular telephony.
The main driver in this
is a desire by some to
increase market share,
but this brings with it
risks in terms of delayed
deployments and, therefore,
nearer-term improvements
to both road safety and
environmental performance.

The road to C-ITS companies, chip-makers Above: The proposed move to characteristics that are essential
Many years of effort have gone and some of the automotive 5G cellular technology for C-ITS for C-ITS applications such as
into developing low-latency manufacturers, is advocating applications would severely intersection safety.
delay deployments
C-ITS communications based that we abandon DSRC/G5 and
on 5.9GHz dedicated short- instead move to 5G, the coming Relative maturity
range communication (DSRC). generation of cellular. It is worth considering where
The result, also known as ITS The chief concern is advocacy Advocates of 5G cellular use we now are in terms of both
G5, 802.11p or WAVE (Wireless of a binary decision – that the the slow progression of DSRC/ DSRC/G5 and 5G.
Access in Vehicular solution is either DSRC/G5 G5 deployment as a reason to DSRC/G5 is evolved and
Environments), is matured or 5G cellular. This is wait even longer, in order to matured. The technology
and ready to deploy now. Yet a nonsensical standpoint, move straight to a cellular is ready, proven and secure.
a powerful lobby, consisting but opinions within ITS are solution that offers DSRC/G5’s Validation in large volumes
primarily of telephony becoming increasingly polarized. low-latency characteristics – and by a large number of

068 Traffic Technology International January 2018


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| Technology Profile

technology will ultimately unless it is mandated and there


prevail and give us 5G.
Definitions vary widely in
| Need to know is factionalism within some
public authorities.
capability from a simple desire Hybrid connectivity
for 1/2G-level performance, but
solutions are supported Immediate benefits
with unbroken call connections, There are numerous motivations
up to streaming video and zero by Communications for the current situation and
latency. The two incremental Access for Land trends. These include individual
technical proposals that have Mobiles (CALM) stubbornness, technologically
been produced in the past three siloed thinking, commercial
years do not come close to issues, desire for new spectrum,
the basic performance of > CALM tells exactly how and concerns over the relative
5.9GHz-based DSRC. A new an application can use maturity of relevant
proposal has been promised a wide range of protocols, technologies.
by the 3GPP, but none has been including 5.9GHz DSRC, Very few people at present
forthcoming as yet. Even so, it cellular, Bluetooth, seem to be saying ‘Let’s do it all’.
will be difficult to see how it 60GHz and wi-fi It may well be that cellular will
will match, let alone better, > Its facilities layer sets mature to a point where it can
DSRC/G5 – and we can expect up communications offer the necessary zero-latency
to see no more revolutions in via whichever is the performance. In time, we may
radio technology that will best means enjoy the benefits of using
support a ‘quantum leap’. > Thanks to CALM, mass-market communications
Also, 5.9GHz-based DSRC interfaces are not vertical rather than a discrete,
is mature technology that or siloed per application ITS-related solution. But 5G is
is basically royalty-free; this not yet ready to provide what is
contrasts with the rather needed. DRSC/G5 is, and CALM
more commercial/IPR-driven Land Mobiles (CALM) stack hybrid standards give us
environment in which the of standards from ISO TC204. a migration path, should we
3GPP has to work, and in A 10-year development effort need one. To put it another way,
which the benefits to all that is now in its second release, the use of DSRC/G5 now does
are therefore less clear. the CALM stack establishes a full not preclude the use of 5G
C-ITS architecture, terminology, technologies at a later date.
Hybrid solutions interfaces and protocols. However, to prescribe the use of
There is an element of In the form of DSRC/G5, cellular adds quite some years to
lock-down associated with the technology need evolve no the roll-out of C-ITS applications
use in the immediate future further. DSRC/G5’s broadcast that are ready and can have an
of DSRC/G5. This is due to nature is a very efficient way immediate and positive effect on
its broadcast-type nature – of achieving time-critical C-ITS our road networks’ performance.
vehicles and roadside units applications. CALM enables And what if 5G fails to
will continuously broadcast a top-down application of deliver? Do we wait instead for
messages without receiving apps and anything else would 6G? To save lives and improve
responses and, so long as there seem to be a retrograde step, mobility’s environmental
vehicle manufacturers remain vehicles out there that with certain players looking performance now, we need to
has already taken place. rely on DSRC/G5, that broadcast to ‘bend’ an open architecture deploy a solution that is already
To repeat that process with technology will be needed. to suit their own products and proven. We can realize the
any other technology would However, that does not mean siloed approaches. benefits of C-ITS right now.
take at least five years and the that deployment of DSRC/G5 The current jockeying for More to the point, we should.
point remains that no-one has precludes use of all else; market position/share has
truly yet defined what 5G Q-Free’s experience with C-ITS reached a stage where it risks
cellular might be. It’s currently
at the ‘headline’ stage and there
pilots in Australia, for instance,
is that DSRC and cellular can
compromising the more
altruistic ambitions of ITS:
| inquiry
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service
is a battle going on between readily complement each other. safety, emissions mitigation and
factions within the 3GPP, the These hybrid solutions work congestion reduction. Instead, Q-Free inquiry no. 506
organization responsible for perfectly well, supported by the vehicle manufacturers are To learn more about this advertiser, please
5G definition, over which Communications Access for refusing to use DSRC/G5 visit: www.ukimediaevents.com/info/tfm

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Technology Profile |

Features to improve road


weather maintenance
D
ifferent types of systems for
monitoring and predicting | Need to know
road weather are used in
many countries around the Features of the
world. Metis is a web-based
Metis road weather
system developed by Cross Zlín
that can be used to present road maintenance
weather data and information system include...
focusing on current and future
road situations. It provides a
comprehensive overview of the > A dashboard system
weather in real time. with web-based access
> Interactive data
Core of the system presentation tools
The dashboard forms the core > Images collected from
of the system. It has online cameras in real time
access for data presentation > Forecasts based on
and visualization using maps, past data Above: Status map of position, distance traveled and
images, animations, tables, > Compatibility with weather stations spreading activity. The vehicle
graphs and text. A status map smartphones and tablets tracking system integrated in
gives weather station networks Metis uses a Protank Dynamics
the ability to switch views based engine that features a
on measured parameters such system is the capturing of The Maintenance standardized XML protocol for
as surface temperature, surface images from the cameras, Information System (MIS) is receiving data from connected
condition and warnings. A list which offer a live view of improved with an interface that vehicles. Based on GPS data,
of weather stations makes it is the situation in each selected uses maintenance reporting Metis can provide visualization
possible for the user to explore location. Other important using GPS-based vehicle of vehicles’ movements and
details of measured data aspects are the images taken monitoring. All vehicle types, activity, as well as effectively
including past data. by meteorological radars and such as the dispatcher’s car, reporting maintenance
An overview function satellites, and forecasts – used service companies’ small vans performance – such as the
allows the user to compare data by authorities to decide if, and and spreaders, are equipped daily consumption of salt and
measurements from different what, road weather maintenance with a GPS module for online the distance covered during
stations. A key feature of the needs to be carried out. monitoring of the actual salt spreading. This system
is used by most winter
Below: Flow chart of maintenance contractors
the Metis system
in the Czech Republic.

Winter road maintenance


The maintenance performance
METIS and cost-analysis features
Reporting, control improve winter road
and evaluation maintenance. These tools are
CONTRACTOR • DIRECTORATE used to analyze and control the
Service vehicle OF ROADS AND maintenance performed. The
with GPS CENTRAL HIGHWAYS features are designed to support
Acceptance sustainability, detect over-
DATABASE reactions – and thereby excessive
cost – and unify the standard of
maintenance throughout the
DATA INVOICING country by using an innovative
comparison of regional
standards for winter
maintenance, so all contractors
can reach the same level of
safety, mobility and efficiency.

070 Traffic Technology International January 2018


www.TrafficTechnologyToday.com
| The Road Ahead
by Don Hunt

Paving the way for highly


automated vehicles –
with legislation

The data goes automatically


Looking back on 2017,
from the contractor to a central some of the interesting
database, where it is available in activity related to highly
the form of reports and statistics automated vehicles (HAV) in the USA took
for specialist control, appraisal place at the federal government level.
and final acceptance by a local Both the executive and legislative
authority. At the end of each branches were active in creating HAV
month, Metis performs policy that supports vehicle deployment.
automatic invoicing, which First, the USDOT issued Automated
is a cost-saving solution. Driving Systems 2.0, A Vision for Safety
Metis has a built-in alert (ADS 2.0). Published on September 12,
service automatically informing 2017, ADS 2.0 replaces in its entirety the
the user, by SMS or email, about 2016 Obama Administration’s Federal
critical road weather conditions Automated Vehicles Policy (FAVP). ADS 2.0
or occurrences of dangerous leans toward a more industry-friendly,
forecast phenomena. It can react voluntary environment for the deployment
quickly, anywhere, at all times. of HAVs. Gone is the idea that the federal
government could pre-certify automated
Weather station-friendly driving systems. The new policy also puts
voluntary back into the meaning of
“The US Congress is
Metis is a technologically
independent and open
voluntary, scrapping the confusing
manufacturer Safety Assessment Letter
finalizing legislation
visualization platform
supporting all types of road
(voluntary yet required) in favor of a
Voluntary Safety Self-Assessment. ADS
to provide a clearer,
weather stations on the market.
It is also able to integrate data.
2.0 takes an even dimmer view of state
and local regulation of automated driving
pro-industry
As well as being a system for
road weather monitoring, a
systems in conflict with federal policy. But framework for the
it does recognize that states have the right
significant part of it is applicable to regulate testing, so long as regulations introduction of HAVs”
to the management and control don’t impede technological progress.
of road maintenance. The Coincidentally, the National
system has proven its qualities Transportation Safety Board (NTSB)
and is being continuously issued a finding on the Tesla-truck aimed at encouraging and speeding the
improved with new functions. accident on the same day that ADS 2.0 implementation of HAVs in the USA, and
The benefit of using this kind was issued. In 2016 a Tesla crashed with limiting the regulatory power of states
of sophisticated information a tractor trailer crossing an uncontrolled and cities over automated driving
system is effective road intersection in Florida. The Tesla was in systems. Auto makers will be able to
maintenance. Meanwhile, the Autopilot mode, the cruise control was obtain exemptions from NHTSA rules
set at 74mph (119km/h), and neither the that require human controls and will
result for drivers is safer roads.
automated braking system nor the driver have to provide safety reports to the
Advantages for the road
took action to avoid the collision. The USDOT before commercial introduction
authority include cost control NTSB findings are too extensive to of a model. There will be no government
and cost savings, because discuss here, but important NTSB pre-certification of HAVs. States can set
maintenance is done only in recommendations include the need to: rules on registration, licensing, liability,
the right place at the right time, 1) establish data parameters to be insurance and safety inspections,
ultimately saving public funds preserved post-crash; 2) implement but not vehicle performance standards.
and the environment. systems that limit the use of Level 2 All in all, the US government has given
vehicles to those conditions for which they a green light to the testing and
were designed; 3) develop applications to deployment of HAVs over the next few
more effectively sense the driver’s level years. Opponents concerned about HAV
| inquiry
Free reader
service
of engagement; and 4) develop minimum
performance standards for connected
safety achieved little change from the
government’s pro-technology, pro-
vehicle technology for all highway industry view. And perhaps that’s just the
vehicles. The Tesla Level 2 system right path when our current environment
Cross Zlín inquiry no. 507
To learn more about this advertiser, please
was not held at fault. of human drivers produces more than
visit: www.ukimediaevents.com/info/tfm At the time of writing, the US Congress 40,000 highway deaths per year.
is finalizing legislation to provide a
clearer, pro-industry framework for the Don Hunt is a transportation consultant and former
introduction of HAVs. The legislation is director of Colorado DOT; dhunt@anteronet.com

January 2018 Traffic Technology International


www.TrafficTechnologyToday.com 071
Cheat Sheet |

Express lanes
Your shortcuts to some of the big stories “There are four
in this issue – and beyond! benefits to the
deployment of
average speed cameras
“Everything in our on roads: they’re safer,
systems is redundant. reduce congestion, are
We allow for overlap more environmentally
so that we can lose friendly and fairer”
a lane-side camera and Geoff Collins, sales and marketing
director, Jenoptik
Page
still have full coverage” 28 For an insight into how the average speed
James Lee, UK support services and delivery camera technology works, watch the video at
traffictechnologytoday.com/average
manager, Merseyflow, on the UK’s new free-flow
tolling bridge, the Mersey Gateway

Page
36

“We need to utilize


“We realized
all modes of that we
transport much more needed the
efficiently and I think ability to vary the
new digital technologies speed limit based
and services can help us on road conditions,
tremendously on that front” accidents and any
Caspar de Jonge, program manager at the Dutch slowing traffic”
Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management
Mike Curtis, project engineer, Colorado
The Netherlands recently launched its connected Department of Transportation, on tackling
urban transport solution. Watch the video at treacherous weather conditions on
traffictechnologytoday.com/dutch the state’s stretch of I-80

Index to Advertisers |
Autonomous Vehicle Test & Development Symposium Europe Swarco AG...................................................Inside Back Cover
2018...................................................................................... 44 Tamron Europe GmbH......................................................... 57
CROSS Zlín........................................................................... 33 Tattile Srl.............................................................................. 35
Dynniq BV..................................................Inside Front Cover
FLIR Integrated Imaging Solutions Inc................................. 11 The Future of Transportation World Conference 2018......... 14
G.Lufft Mess- und Regeltechnik GmbH................................. 3 Traffic Technology International Online Reader Inquiry
HAENNI Instruments AG...................................................... 18 Service............................................................................43, 51
Intertraffic Amsterdam 2018 ................................................ 48 TRL....................................................................................... 27
JENOPTIK Robot GmbH...................................................43, 51 Vaisala Inc............................................................................ 40
NMi Italia Srl........................................................................... 9
Perceptics LLC..................................................................... 57 Videalert Ltd........................................................................ 18
Q-Free ASA.............................................. Outside Back Cover Vitronic Dr.-Ing. Stein............................................................ 7
SPINNEA Sp. z o.o................................................................ 30 ZENRIN USA Inc................................................................... 27

072 Traffic Technology International January 2018


www.TrafficTechnologyToday.com
Tom or r ow ’ s
T r af f ic
s ol u T ion s ,
T od ay
Your traffic control systems need to talk to each
other to manage transport networks efficiently and
intelligently. You want to enhance safety for all road
users over all modes of transport in a cost-effective way.
You have to control your city’s traffic like a conductor
controls an orchestra. And you need this symphony
of solutions now. So talk to us today.

Intertraffic Amsterdam
20 – 23 March 2018
Come and see us on
stands 10.103 and 05.310

www.swarco.com

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