A new intelligent transport trial is exploring the potential of advanced technology to make Sydney’s roads safer.
The vehicle-to-infrastructure technology under development aims to save lives by feeding data about pedestrians, cyclists, other motorists and traffic light signal changes to driverless vehicles, as well as manually operated vehicles.
Two self-driving vehicles will drive in live traffic on the streets of Chippendale using wireless connectivity to interact with traffic lights equipped with Transport for NSW’s Sydney Coordinated Adaptive Traffic System, also known as SCATS.
As the automated vehicles approach the traffic lights, the software under development – Cit-e, sends messages about the intersection’s layout, right of way, timing of signal changes and warnings of imminent hazards including vulnerable road users.
A receiver in the vehicle uses the information in conjunction with the vehicle’s position, direction and velocity to gauge whether it is likely to commit a red-light violation or endanger other road users.
The self-driving vehicles used in the live traffic trial are designed by University of Sydney’s Australian Centre for Robotics and have undergone rigorous safety testing at Transport’s Future Mobility Testing and Research Centre in Cudal.
The Cit-e software could be launched commercially as early as next year by SCATS, and can be retrofitted to standard vehicles and traffic infrastructure meaning it could be in use long before the arrival of driverless vehicles.
The trial was showcased at the Intelligent Transport Systems Summit in Sydney on 13-15 August – and delegates from around the world experienced the integrated solution on the Chippendale circuit which is a collaboration between Transport, iMOVE Cooperative Research Centre and Sydney University.
New South Wales Minister for Roads, John Graham, said, “As cars get smarter, there’s the opportunity to make them safer and save lives on New South Wales roads.
“This innovative technology will put New South Wales at the forefront of the national conversation on smart car innovation and road safety.
“This vehicle-to-infrastructure technology can make a difference now, years before driverless vehicles become the norm because it can be retrofitted to existing intersections and built into the cars of today.
“Along with the safety benefits, this technology will also reduce traffic congestion, with communication between cars and infrastructure allowing the variation of a green-light windows to alleviate long queues.”
Secretary of Transport for NSW, Josh Murray, said, “This is a joint project with Sydney University and iMove to future-proof our traffic network and prepare our roads for an automated driving future.
“While this signals a real-world trial of the cutting-edge technology, at its core is an extension of Transport’s SCATS offering – a home-grown New South Wales Government innovation. Developed in house 40 years ago, SCATS is the global leader in intelligent traffic signals control and has been installed in more than 63,000 intersections across 216 cities in 32 countries.
“That’s NSW-know-how delivering proven safety benefits to one billion people globally.
“These new trials help us understand the challenges, and demonstrate the feasibility, of introducing emerging technology so we’re able to channel it in our day-to-day running of the network.”
Image: Hyserb/shutterstock.com
