It is estimated that an average of 17 people die in road accidents every hour, according to The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways. In the hopes of a solution, researchers and governments have turned their attention toward developing technology that may help. This has not changed, and there are now promising developments in the form of self-learning road infrastructure, connected and automated vehicle (CAV) improvements, and 5G.
Self-Learning Road Infrastructure
Salus, the self-learning road infrastructure, was developed by The Universities of Applied Sciences of Ulm and Heilbronn. It is a mixture of optical cameras, infrared sensors coupled with neural networks machine-learning, and radar that’s meant to be able to differentiate vehicles from other presences on the road (like animals) and be able to fully predict the behaviors of each. Salus is designed to send out warnings to motorists based on its collected data to prevent accidents. It also comes with a 5-year warranty to entice consumers to give it a try once it is ready for market release.
CAV Improvements
Waymo’s autonomous vehicles had at least 47 “contact events” with other vehicles and several near-misses, according to their internal reports. While these events did not report any injuries, that may not always be the case. Legal experts at fernandolopez.com say that even minor car accidents may result in serious injuries, so every road incident must be viewed seriously. The Australian Centre for Robotics (ACFR) has developed improvements to CAVs which enable them to see people around corners and establishments by utilizing a system called Cooperative Perception Messaging (CPM). This will help CPMs better navigate roads and lessen contact encounters with other vehicles.
5G Automotive Technology
Connected cars will effectively benefit from 5G automotive technology. A 20% adoption rate of advanced telemetrics can effectively improve road safety, according to McKinsey. 5G automotive technology empowers smart sensors to relay and receive messages faster, and this can help existing and future sensors in cities to adopt better traffic planning and respond to accidents quicker. 5G automotive technology will also provide motorists with speedy data regarding their vehicle’s operational status so they can get issues addressed before they may cause incidents.
Regardless of the country or organization, the goal has always remained the same: eliminating the occurrence of road accident fatalities. With more bodies invested in developing helpful road safety technology, motorists may be assured that there will be safer roads in the future. For now, it’s best to keep an eye out for current innovations that may improve road safety, and utilize them well.
