Alpharetta, Georgia-based Applied Information has launched a new application designed to help transportation agencies detect, verify and respond to wrong-way driving incidents in real time.
The Glance Wrong-Way Driver Manager is built on the company’s Glance Smart City Supervisory Platform. It integrates data from cameras, radar, connected vehicles and third-party systems to provide real-time detection, rapid operator verification and immediate distribution of safety alerts to responders and motorists.
Deployed in Massachusetts
The system is already deployed in Massachusetts, where Applied Information says it produced results on its first day of operation: a detected wrong-way driver received timely warnings and safely corrected course before a collision occurred.
Announcing the state’s deployment of the technology, Maura Healey, governor of Massachusetts, said: “We’ve seen firsthand the devastating impact that wrong-way driving crashes can have on families, law enforcement and communities across Massachusetts. People deserve to be safe on our roads, and we’re taking action. By investing in new technology, stronger safety measures and targeted infrastructure improvements, we’re working to prevent these crashes before they happen and help save lives. Our hearts are with every family that has lost a loved one in a wrong-way driving crash, and we are committed to doing everything we can to prevent these tragedies from happening again.”
Data from the US Department of Transportation shows wrong-way driving deaths have risen annually. Wrong-way incidents are among the most dangerous events on roadways and often result in severe or fatal crashes, according to Applied Information.
Centralised platform for verification and response
The Glance Wrong-Way Driver Manager gives transportation operators a centralised platform to verify potential events, coordinate notifications and distribute alerts to motorists and first responders.
“The ability to quickly verify and respond to a wrong-way driver event can make a significant difference in reducing risk to motorists,” says Bryan Mulligan, president of Applied Information. “The Glance Wrong-Way Driver Manager gives transportation agencies a practical, integrated tool to manage these incidents from detection through resolution while helping extend safety information beyond the traffic operations centre.”
Interoperable across cameras, radar and lidar
The platform is designed to work with a wide range of existing infrastructure and data sources. It can ingest information from wrong-way detection systems, camera-based virtual vehicle detections, connected vehicle data, radar systems, 511 applications and other third-party sources. Applied Information says its camera- and sensor-agnostic architecture allows agencies to use their existing investments while expanding detection coverage.
When a potential wrong-way driver is detected, authorised users receive alerts through SMS, email, audible notifications and on-screen pop-ups, enabling rapid verification of the event. Once confirmed, notifications can be distributed to designated agency personnel, law enforcement and other stakeholders.
The system also allows warnings to be distributed to connected traveller information systems and safety applications, including TravelSafely, Waze and HAAS Alert Safety Cloud, as well as 511 applications. It can integrate with dynamic message signs (DMS) and other intelligent transportation systems (ITS) to expand public awareness of active incidents.
