1 00:00:00,181 --> 00:00:02,848 (intense music) 2 00:00:09,370 --> 00:00:10,920 - [Narrator] With growing numbers of crashes 3 00:00:10,920 --> 00:00:14,060 involving buses, bicyclists, and pedestrians, 4 00:00:14,060 --> 00:00:15,440 researchers have developed 5 00:00:15,440 --> 00:00:17,870 smart intersection technologies 6 00:00:17,870 --> 00:00:20,240 that use a variety of advanced systems 7 00:00:20,240 --> 00:00:23,033 to warn people of possible safety issues. 8 00:00:24,090 --> 00:00:27,620 The three phase TxDOT Innovative Project is complete, 9 00:00:27,620 --> 00:00:30,390 and was a multi-year cooperative effort 10 00:00:30,390 --> 00:00:33,750 led by the Texas A&M Transportation Institute, 11 00:00:33,750 --> 00:00:37,390 with Texas A&M University, the City of College Station, 12 00:00:37,390 --> 00:00:40,710 and Brazos Transit District as partners. 13 00:00:40,710 --> 00:00:43,680 Researchers designed, tested, piloted, 14 00:00:43,680 --> 00:00:46,200 and demonstrated candidate applications 15 00:00:46,200 --> 00:00:49,410 through an automated and connected vehicle test bed 16 00:00:49,410 --> 00:00:53,430 at the Texas A&M University Systems Rellis Campus. 17 00:00:53,430 --> 00:00:55,230 - Texas is not alone in seeing 18 00:00:55,230 --> 00:00:58,420 a steep increase in the number of pedestrians 19 00:00:58,420 --> 00:01:01,620 and bicyclists killed in roadway crashes. 20 00:01:01,620 --> 00:01:04,840 In fact, pedestrians and bicyclists fatalities 21 00:01:04,840 --> 00:01:09,210 have increased 69% in Texas over a decade ago. 22 00:01:09,210 --> 00:01:10,900 - The first phase of the project 23 00:01:10,900 --> 00:01:12,750 looked at defining the issues, 24 00:01:12,750 --> 00:01:16,260 and we held 25 meetings throughout the state, 25 00:01:16,260 --> 00:01:19,020 a variety of workshops and round table forums 26 00:01:19,020 --> 00:01:22,860 to really help define the issue, define the problems, 27 00:01:22,860 --> 00:01:24,920 where are those conflicts occurring? 28 00:01:24,920 --> 00:01:27,190 And at the same time, we also took a look at 29 00:01:27,190 --> 00:01:29,420 what are the AV and CV technologies 30 00:01:29,420 --> 00:01:32,310 that could help us address those issues? 31 00:01:32,310 --> 00:01:34,640 One of the places that was identified 32 00:01:34,640 --> 00:01:37,030 where those types of crises might occur 33 00:01:37,030 --> 00:01:40,200 and tend to occur is at intersections. 34 00:01:40,200 --> 00:01:45,200 So in phase two, we took the intersection as the focus 35 00:01:45,470 --> 00:01:49,770 and at the Rellis Campus on the Texas A&M University TTI 36 00:01:49,770 --> 00:01:51,610 developed a smart intersection, 37 00:01:51,610 --> 00:01:53,940 and then did a proof of concept test, 38 00:01:53,940 --> 00:01:56,860 which included Brazos Transit District 39 00:01:56,860 --> 00:02:00,460 and buses communicated through DSRC radio 40 00:02:00,460 --> 00:02:04,175 with the traffic signal system to alert pedestrians 41 00:02:04,175 --> 00:02:06,930 that a bus was either turning right or left. 42 00:02:06,930 --> 00:02:10,150 - The alerts are intended to catch people's attention, 43 00:02:10,150 --> 00:02:13,250 even if they're deaf or visually impaired, 44 00:02:13,250 --> 00:02:17,890 or if they are distracted by a device. 45 00:02:17,890 --> 00:02:19,740 - [Alert System] Caution bus turning. 46 00:02:20,611 --> 00:02:23,840 (Alert System alerting in Spanish) 47 00:02:23,840 --> 00:02:25,150 - We were also able to, 48 00:02:25,150 --> 00:02:29,220 working with the Texas A&M Transportation Program, 49 00:02:29,220 --> 00:02:31,900 pilot test a collision warning system 50 00:02:31,900 --> 00:02:33,880 on one of the A&M buses, 51 00:02:33,880 --> 00:02:37,560 it's called the Rosco Mobileye Collision Warning System, 52 00:02:37,560 --> 00:02:41,150 and it alerts the driver if pedestrians or bicyclists 53 00:02:41,150 --> 00:02:43,170 are getting too close to the bus, 54 00:02:43,170 --> 00:02:46,250 and it looks like crash could occur. 55 00:02:46,250 --> 00:02:49,710 So in phase three, we were able to take that technology, 56 00:02:49,710 --> 00:02:52,360 and move it to the Texas A&M campus 57 00:02:52,360 --> 00:02:54,920 and instrumented an intersection, 58 00:02:54,920 --> 00:02:57,710 Penberthy and George Bush Drive on the campus, 59 00:02:57,710 --> 00:03:02,020 use the City of College Station traffic signal system, 60 00:03:02,020 --> 00:03:04,850 they were one of the collaborators on the project. 61 00:03:04,850 --> 00:03:09,310 And then we equipped 10 of the Texas A&M University buses 62 00:03:09,310 --> 00:03:11,780 with DSRC radios. 63 00:03:11,780 --> 00:03:14,330 The Mobileye technology had improved, 64 00:03:14,330 --> 00:03:16,980 they were able to detect pedestrians 65 00:03:16,980 --> 00:03:19,130 in lower light conditions. 66 00:03:19,130 --> 00:03:22,740 And so again, working with Texas A&M University, 67 00:03:22,740 --> 00:03:24,060 we were able to collaborate 68 00:03:24,060 --> 00:03:27,810 and put two of those new units on buses, 69 00:03:27,810 --> 00:03:29,930 on their new buses that they had just received, 70 00:03:29,930 --> 00:03:33,490 and monitor that technology also. 71 00:03:33,490 --> 00:03:37,028 - The possibilities and benefits of this particular project 72 00:03:37,028 --> 00:03:41,230 are far reaching for transit districts. 73 00:03:41,230 --> 00:03:46,230 It would make it a safer route for fixed routes. 74 00:03:46,490 --> 00:03:49,160 It's safer for the pedestrians. 75 00:03:49,160 --> 00:03:51,070 It's safer for the bicycles. 76 00:03:51,070 --> 00:03:54,470 And it's just safer for the traveling public for, 77 00:03:54,470 --> 00:03:56,670 to have these alert systems, 78 00:03:56,670 --> 00:04:01,410 and to be able to let folks know what the intentions are 79 00:04:01,410 --> 00:04:02,720 of the drivers. 80 00:04:02,720 --> 00:04:05,540 - Anytime we can reduce the risk of a crash, 81 00:04:05,540 --> 00:04:07,540 especially between a large vehicle 82 00:04:07,540 --> 00:04:11,040 and a vulnerable roadway user, it's a success. 83 00:04:11,040 --> 00:04:14,830 So far, all the surveys indicate that the smart intersection 84 00:04:14,830 --> 00:04:18,210 is effective in alerting people at intersections. 85 00:04:18,210 --> 00:04:21,330 And that the Mobileye is effective 86 00:04:21,330 --> 00:04:23,490 at alerting the drivers of near misses 87 00:04:23,490 --> 00:04:25,670 or people in their blind spots. 88 00:04:25,670 --> 00:04:28,480 We have an opportunity to use technology 89 00:04:28,480 --> 00:04:32,720 to avoid some almost certainly fatal crashes. 90 00:04:32,720 --> 00:04:34,980 So it's our responsibility to advance 91 00:04:34,980 --> 00:04:36,790 and share that technology 92 00:04:36,790 --> 00:04:37,900 - [Narrator] For more information, 93 00:04:37,900 --> 00:04:40,440 and to find the publications for this project, 94 00:04:40,440 --> 00:04:43,330 please visit the TxDOT Research Library 95 00:04:43,330 --> 00:04:44,863 at the link shown below.