Global

In-vehicle signage delivered direct to car head unit without mobile phone interface

A group of data experts have successfully delivered live, dynamic in-vehicle signage into a vehicle’s head unit using the car’s own connectivity rather than a tethered smartphone.

Transport for West Midlands (TfWM) and KL Systems transmitted real-time road signs into a Polestar vehicle during tests at Warwick University. The demonstration proves that connected cars can automatically receive location-specific information and safety “virtual” messages, reducing and eventually doing away with the need for roadside variable message signs (VMS).

This builds on previous demonstrations undertaken by the Transport Technology Forum and RAC Foundation using smartphones.

The work is part of a wider project between TfWM, Midland Connect, National Highways, M6 Toll Ltd and the Department for Transport looking at delivering in-vehicle messaging for the M6 Toll TfWM created several messages around Warwick University using its in-vehicle messaging system created by Sterling Allied Services & Amey in conjunction with KL Systems. These were displayed in the Polestar as the vehicle drove past the virtual VMS sites

“With Android Automotive, there is no need to pair your phone to receive in-car messages,” explained George Brown, ITS consultant at KL Systems. “Essentially it replaces the infotainment unit and more in the car, and you download the apps directly into the car not your phone, which opens so many possibilities to reach the driver with critical messages at the right time and place and a better user experience.

“Polestar assisted with testing the app and brought a car to Warwick with the app installed on its Android Automotive head unit supporting both static and live drive demonstrations around the campus,” Brown added

“We see this as a very exciting opportunity to manage driver behavior to make our network more efficient,” Matthew Shelton, future transport services and technologies lead at TfWM, continued “For example, we cannot justify putting in an expensive network of physical VMS around Edgbaston Cricket Ground in Birmingham for a handful of busy matchdays, but the virtual system would allow us to reach all drivers with correct advice and keep traffic in the area flowing. This is just one obvious example of how this technology can make a real difference ”

The next step of the project is to use a group of selected people in vehicles with access to the technology to test it in real-world conditions on the M6, M6 Toll and other roads in the West Midlands. The trial will not only look at technical solutions but also how messages should be phrased to best influence driver behavior

British road safety; a small improvement

British road safety is showing a small but encouraging improvement

The latest official figures for road safety in Great Britain show small but encouraging improvements over previous years In 2022 there were 1,695 road fatalities from crashes, a drop of 3 percent from the figures for 2019. There was also a 3 percent drop in those killed or seriously injured (KSI) for 2022 compared with 2019, dropping to 29,795 And there were 136,002 casualties of all severities, a decline of 11 percent compared to 2019.

Looking back a further 10 years however does reveal the overall improvement in road safety in Great Britain. Road deaths for 2009 stood at 2,222. And going further back to the early 1970s when road deaths peaked in Great Britain, around 5x as many people were killed every year in road crashes

This improvement in road safety in Great Britain contrasts strongly with the situation in the US, where road safety continues to decline

There was a significant gain in road safety for pedestrians in 2022, with 20 percent fewer fatalities than in 2019 Car occupant deaths meanwhile dropped by 16 percent for 2022 compared with 2019, while there were 15 percent fewer deaths of cyclists in 2022 compared with 2019 However, motorcyclist casualty numbers slightly increased compared to 2019

For 2022, 46 percent of fatalities were car occupants, 22 percent were pedestrians, 21 percent were motorcyclists and 5 percent were pedal cyclists. Meanwhile in 2022, 55 percent of total casualties (including those suffering serious and minor injuries) were car occupants, 14 percent were pedestrians, 12 percent were motorcyclists and 12 percent were pedal cyclists.

Overall, in 2022, 75 percent of fatalities and 62 percent of casualties of all severities were male while 3 percent of fatalities and 10 percent of casualties were aged 16 years old and under. In addition, 25 percent of fatalities and 29 percent of casualties were aged 17 to 29 years old while 23 percent of fatalities and 7 percent of casualties were aged 70 years old and over.

Overall, 75 percent of fatalities were male in 2022 In 2022 the age group with the most male fatalities was 30 to 49 year olds with 366 fatalities, a decline of 3 percent compared to 2019. For females the age group with the most fatalities in 2022 was 70 year olds and over with 155 fatalities, a decline of 16 percent compared to 2019 The largest reductions are seen in females in the older age groups when comparing to 2019, however when comparing to 2012 these age groups have seen an increase Overall, 62 percent of casualties of all severities were male in 2022. In 2022 the age group with the most male casualties of all severities was 30 to 49 year olds with 27,539 casualties For females the 30 to 49 year old age group also had the most casualties of all severities in 2022 with 16,341 casualties.