Intersections that see crashes coming: Michigan tests a warning system for road users
Cameras, traffic lights and vehicle radio links are to spot near-misses before a collision. The US Department of Transportation is funding the University of Michigan's SAFETI project with $5.66 million.
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The University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute (UMTRI) is receiving 5.66 million dollars from the US Department of Transportation to make intersections safer. According to the department, about a quarter of traffic deaths and around half of traffic injuries in the US occur at intersections. The SAFETI project builds on MSight, an open-source roadside perception framework developed at the university.
The system combines existing technology: traffic signal controls, vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communication, onboard vehicle sensors, city traffic cameras, smartphone alerts and in-vehicle displays. If it detects a likely collision, it can warn drivers and pedestrians, activate in-pavement lights or adjust the signals – for example extending a green light when a car appears likely to run a red. According to the university, the system only identifies object types; Ann Arbor's fisheye cameras cannot capture licence plates or faces.
"Our goal is to prevent crashes in the moment and to make intersections safer over time," says principal investigator Henry Liu. For roughly the first 18 months, the system will be tested at the Mcity test facility, with robots standing in for pedestrians and cyclists. This will be followed by deployment at four intersections in Ann Arbor. Partners include General Motors, Volkswagen, Ford and lidar maker Ouster.