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Ford leads trial of connected car accident blackspot technology
Date: 20 August 2020 | Author: Sean Keywood
A predictive road safety tool, which could use data from connected cars and roadside sensors to identify potential road safety trouble spots, is being trialled by a consortium led by Ford.
The system is designed to combine the car and sensor data with local authority information, to enable cities to take pre-emptive action to improve their riskiest roads and junctions.
As part of the trial, up to 700 vehicles will be connected across Oxfordshire and London for 18 months.
Detailed telematics data from the vehicles, including braking, acceleration and steering wheel angle, will be analysed alongside sensor data.
The aim is to develop the system into a scalable, commercial product that can be rolled out to cities around the world.
The latest testing follows a successful trial in London where Ford sampled more than one million miles of driving by connected vehicles, and made safety recommendations including more red-light cameras, cutting back vegetation around road signs, installing double-height signage and signals, resurfacing carriageways and raising surface covers.
Along with Ford, the project consortium includes Oxfordshire County Council, Vivacity Labs, and Loughborough University's Transport Safety Research Centre, with support from Transport for London.
Innovate UK has provided financial backing.
Ford Mobility Europe City Insights project lead Jon Scott said: "Soon every new vehicle will be a connected vehicle, and we see this as an opportunity to reduce road traffic incidents and save lives in a significant way."
"By collaborating with leading innovators, experts and academics - and with the backing of Innovate UK - we truly believe we can help improve mobility for millions around the world."
