Page 49 - The Magazine of AAA Ohio Auto Club – September 2020

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Making Roads Smarter By Jim Selevan
Modern vehicles are rolling computers. There are more technology and computational ability in an economy Ford than was aboard Apollo 11 when it landed on the moon. The same cannot be said for our roadways.
While safety has improved substantially, tragic events remain the daily norm. Many of these daily incidents can be avoided through legislative boldness: disable smartphone texting above 10 mph; standardize and limit entertainment controls on the dashboard; and require following-distance warning and constraints. But in the absence of regulatory safety initiatives, can technology on the asphalt improve safety?
Many accidents occur at intersections and work zones. Technology is available today to notify a driver that they are approaching a queue and vehicles are stopped, or that a driver is approaching a red light
too fast so beware. The technical challenges are considerable but surmountable. Cost represents a significant threshold. Yet, when analyzed and measured against state and insurance company liability, the return on investment is substantial. So why are these sensors and network devices not ubiquitous?
A new order of things has, as opponents, those that do well under the existing system. Technology deployed on the roadway must be consistent with existing signage and laws, fit within budgets that
are subject to taxpayer approval and must be tested extensively. These encumbrances represent red flags to companies exploring technology solutions to traffic challenges. But entrepreneurs keep chasing safety solutions.
The newest technology being deployed on urban and high-speed conduits are Internet of Things sensors that measure vehicle count, speed, impact (vibration), temperature and other things. These small, lightweight, battery-powered sensors are smaller than a deck of cards, weigh a few ounces, cost little and communicate to the cloud via mesh networks and cellular connectivity. The greatest challenge for small companies going forward is the absence of a standard.
Will these devices deliver information directly to the vehicle (infrastructure to vehicle), deliver information via the cloud (vehicle to cloud), via vehicle to vehicle or vehicle to everything?
Competing technologies, all with advantages and disadvantages, await a standard to design to. In the meantime, state departments of transportation are piloting new approaches to measuring infrastructure impact, traffic flow and speed,
etc., all to make your travel safer. The asphalt is getting smarter and soon will connect to your vehicle in a partnership aimed at bringing everyone home safely.
SEPTEMBER 2020 | 47
Jim Selevan is the founder of Pi-Lit, a developer of advanced road safety products for the transportation industry.