Photo: Bogdan Popa/autoevolution/USPTO
A new alert system that would automatically provide warnings when activated could and should eventually replace the traditional traffic cones.
Created by The Auto Club Group from Michigan, the so-called “roadside detection and alert system” is supposed to protect service technicians and emergency responders when helping broken or stopped vehicles.
Providing roadside assistance is often a dangerous job, especially on highways. Vehicles traveling at a fast speed, especially in bad weather conditions, are a threat to emergency responders. Not only that vehicles themselves could crash into the stopped vehicles due to bad visibility, but debris on the road could also hit one of the responders.
This is why the patent could help by making everyone aware that a vehicle approaches and service technicians work on the side of the road.
The technology describes a concept that improves the traditional traffic cone with a smart design. It all comes down to an alert system that uses an alert beacon powered by sensors, such as LiDAR and cameras. Based on this tech, the alert beacon can monitor the nearby conditions and generate alerts based on pre-defined rules.
For example, when a vehicle approaches, the alert beacon can measure its speed and estimate its direction. If the results estimate a potential risk of an accident, the service technicians, as well as the occupants of the broken vehicle, can be alerted. The system was designed to support multiple types of alerts, including visual and audio.
At the same time, the alert beacon can also be connected to visual warning systems that would be oriented toward incoming traffic. As such, drivers would also be notified in advance that emergency responders are working on the side of the road, eventually being able to slow down in advance.
Such technology could also power more advanced integrations. For instance, it could be connected to an online server to broadcast warning messages to nearby vehicles. With an approach similar to the one in Waze, motorists could be alerted of the emergency. Drivers would be told to reduce speed as they approach the location.
This system can be integrated into a simple traffic cone. But the inventors claim it can also be deployed by the police or ambulance whenever they arrive at the scene of a crash. As such, not only that the first responders would be protected from incoming traffic, but the other motorists on the road would also be notified of the accident. The goal is to make everybody aware of what’s happening on the road, eventually reducing the risks of injuries.
The new technology is currently in the patent stage, and while it should be deployed as soon as possible, it takes time for such patents to reach the mass production phase.
Providing roadside assistance is often a dangerous job, especially on highways. Vehicles traveling at a fast speed, especially in bad weather conditions, are a threat to emergency responders. Not only that vehicles themselves could crash into the stopped vehicles due to bad visibility, but debris on the road could also hit one of the responders.
This is why the patent could help by making everyone aware that a vehicle approaches and service technicians work on the side of the road.
The technology describes a concept that improves the traditional traffic cone with a smart design. It all comes down to an alert system that uses an alert beacon powered by sensors, such as LiDAR and cameras. Based on this tech, the alert beacon can monitor the nearby conditions and generate alerts based on pre-defined rules.
For example, when a vehicle approaches, the alert beacon can measure its speed and estimate its direction. If the results estimate a potential risk of an accident, the service technicians, as well as the occupants of the broken vehicle, can be alerted. The system was designed to support multiple types of alerts, including visual and audio.
At the same time, the alert beacon can also be connected to visual warning systems that would be oriented toward incoming traffic. As such, drivers would also be notified in advance that emergency responders are working on the side of the road, eventually being able to slow down in advance.
Such technology could also power more advanced integrations. For instance, it could be connected to an online server to broadcast warning messages to nearby vehicles. With an approach similar to the one in Waze, motorists could be alerted of the emergency. Drivers would be told to reduce speed as they approach the location.
This system can be integrated into a simple traffic cone. But the inventors claim it can also be deployed by the police or ambulance whenever they arrive at the scene of a crash. As such, not only that the first responders would be protected from incoming traffic, but the other motorists on the road would also be notified of the accident. The goal is to make everybody aware of what’s happening on the road, eventually reducing the risks of injuries.
The new technology is currently in the patent stage, and while it should be deployed as soon as possible, it takes time for such patents to reach the mass production phase.
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