Communications of the ACM
Technology to 'watch Over' Vulnerable Road Users
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The European WATCH-OVER Project has developed a system capable of monitoring vulnerable road users (VRUs) that features a pre-crash system and a warning system. VRUs, which include pedestrians, cyclists, and motorcyclists, are more vulnerable because they do not have the safety features available in vehicles and they can emerge suddenly from unexpected places. The WATCH-OVER Project has developed a bespoke system that will prevent accidents by using sensing systems to track road users.
WATCH-OVER is a cooperative system in which cars and VRUs communicate with each other to avoid collisions. The project has developed two different versions of their system — a pre-crash version that uses stereo-camera systems, and a warning system that uses a mono-camera system combined with communications technologies. The warning systems works because of its cooperative nature, in which drivers and other road users work together. For this system to work in real-world settings, VRUs would need to carry or wear a transmission device to alert vehicles to their presence, though this device could be integrated into mobile devices or clothing. The project developed a wearable device to prove the principle, and the system was tested with positive results, finding that it worked well in most urban situations.
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