The Victorian Government has undertaken a $2 million trial using advanced light detection and ranging (LiDAR) sensors at a busy Yarraville intersection — to track the movement of pedestrians, cyclists, cars and trucks and detect potential hazards.
This is the first extended trial using LiDAR technology to collect road data in Australia and was undertaken over six months.
The latest data shows 23 per cent of deaths and 34 per cent of serious injuries occur at intersections, with the results of this trial allowing Road Safety Victoria to closely analyse the information and help improve safety at intersections throughout Melbourne’s suburbs.
Executive Director of Road Safety Victoria, Carl Muller, said, “Victoria leads the nation in road safety initiatives and this trial continues our work in investigating innovative solutions to make our roads safer for everyone.”
The trial found new technology can accurately and reliably detect potential hazards within 0.2 seconds and has the potential to provide real-time warnings to alert road users of hazards.
The trial also investigated ways for intersection infrastructure to communicate hazard warnings to connected vehicles, using roadside Cooperative Intelligent Transport System equipment.
Victorian Minister for Roads and Road Safety, Ben Carroll, said, “We all have a role to play to keep all Victorians safe on the road – and for the Government, we’ll continue to trial the latest technology to drive down road trauma and save lives.
“Road Safety Victoria will now take this data away – and continue to work with local communities to keep traffic moving safely through intersections as Victorians get to where they need to go.”
The trial is part of the Victorian Government’s $9 million Connected and Automated Vehicle Trial Grants Program, in partnership with the Transport Accident Commission,and supports Victoria’s Road Safety Strategy 2021-2030, which has set ambitious targets to halve road deaths and significantly reduce serious injuries by 2030.
This is in addition to the ‘don’t block the box’ trial which features six busy intersections in Melbourne painted yellow, to reduce the number of cars blocking intersections which can create congestion and put other motorists in danger.
TAC Head of Road Safety, Samantha Cockfield, said, “We know technology plays a significant role in reducing road trauma, so as investment continues into making vehicle systems more automated, we’re investigating how these technologies can help us reduce road deaths and injuries sooner.”
