TfWM trials AI application of Near Miss data using VivaCity sensors
A new collaboration to improve road safety has been launch by Transport for West Midlands (TfWM) and transport technology company VivaCity.
This collaboration will mark the first UK project of its kind in which 32 existing sensors across local West Midlands authorities will be upgraded to include the Near Miss feature, which combines object speed and path data to understand interactions between two road users in order to estimate the likelihood of a collision.
VivaCity expects this innovative layer on road safety data will help local authorities, like TfWM, identify and diagnose dangerous sites and hotspots on the road network. The overall aim of this project is to better diagnose the root cause of collisions, provide insights as to why these are occurring and recommend potential solutions to help prevent them in the future.
VivaCity and TfWM, which is part of the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA), have a long history of collaboration, notably a traffic monitoring project with WM5G and Air Quality monitoring (with Vaisala) that innovated road traffic networks and reduced congestion in the area.
Andy Street, Mayor of West Midlands and chair of the WMCA, said, “Our existing partnership is going a long way in future-proofing our road networks, however, with the added benefits of Near Miss technology, local authorities will be empowered to help prevent future road collisions by being aware of issues before the worst happens. Our shared mission is to innovate road traffic networks to make improvements for local people across the board.”
Adam Tranter, the Mayor’s Cycling & Walking Commissioner, said, “VivaCity’s Near Miss technology is focused on protecting vulnerable road users, pedestrians and cyclists, from harm and highlights issues which usually fly under the radar but that may need further investigation and improvement.”
Mark Nicholson, CEO and co-founder at VivaCity added, “The upgrade of our existing sensors will aid in our goal of diagnosing the root causes of dangerous road users interactions over the coming months. We aim to use the collated data to improve road safety throughout the West Midlands, and in turn, identify more hotspots that could be vital to reducing traffic incidents. This partnership is a positive step in improving road safety in the UK.”