Transportation has evolved significantly over the years by incorporating newer technologies. These new tech advancements have been catering to the needs of many, from advanced driver assistance systems to smart road networks. The collaborative efforts between automotive engineering and urban planning are shaping a future where roads are not only safer but are also more efficient.
In this article, we'll explore several innovative technologies that have been designed to revolutionise road safety.
As the name suggests, the ADAS consists of various technologies that essentially guide drivers with the safe operations of their vehicles. As an umbrella term, almost all smart features that are present inside vehicles are a part of the ADAS. Through sensors and cameras, the ADAS can detect obstructions around the car and send alerts to the driver. Today, ADAS technologies have proved to be immensely helpful, providing invaluable support in critical situations.
Here are some of the most popular ones:
Lane Departure Warning: The LDW sends out an alert to drivers if it senses the car merging into a lane without giving its turn signals.
Blind Spot Detection: Using a camera to monitor the drivers’ blind spots, these send alerts to the driver in the presence of vehicles in the adjacent lanes that may be unknown to the driver.
Parking Sensors: Generally working alongside a camera, parking sensors scan the surroundings of a vehicle once it begins to park and alerts the driver of any obstructions in their way when parking.
Adaptive Cruise Control: A more refined version of Cruise Control, the ACC works by maintaining a safe distance from the vehicle ahead. The ACC can also brake or accelerate, to maintain the distance between your vehicle and the one ahead.
Collision Avoidance Systems: This works with the help of small radars that are fixed at the front of the car that scan nearby objects for any vehicles, pedestrians or cyclists in the car’s surroundings. If detected, the system sends an alert to the driver to prevent possible car crash situations.
Automatic Emergency Braking: By detecting if your vehicle is in the process or is about to collide with another vehicle, the system automatically applies brakes to reduce the impact of the collision or prevent it entirely. Along with this, the system may also take safety measures such as tightening seat belts help with the physical impact.
The implementation of smart features on roads has been monumental in both road and traffic safety. By incorporating advanced technology to enhance transportation systems, these roads can improve traffic flow, reduce congestion, and increase awareness.
Here are some of the most popular ones:
Intelligent Crosswalks: These crosswalks use sensor-activated lights to alert road users of whether pedestrians can cross or not through displaying red and green lights, based on the traffic signals.
Dynamic Speed Limits: These are speed limits that adapt to the real-time situation of roads and display the safest speed to adhere to in the current condition. Dynamic Speed Limits change based on weather conditions, traffic density and other factors.
Smart Road Markings: These markings take general road markings up a notice by using reflective paint and LED lighting to boost visibility is low-light areas and conditions, helping reduce accidently caused by low visibility.
As tech continues to evolve, it may reshape the landscape of road safety completely, and for the better!
