Virginia-based internet-connected traffic management equipment developer All Traffic Solutions (ATS) has launched a new cloud-based wrong-way driving detection and multi-channel alerting system to help combat dangerous road use by inattentive motorists.
The US Department of Transportation’s (USDOT) Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has reported that 400 fatalities a year are caused by wrong-way driving crashes. The new vehicle Wrong-Way Solution from ATS brings to the market extremely accurate all-weather detection capabilities, as well as a deep level of integration with existing traveler warning and traffic management systems. The readily portable device can be used at permanent locations or moved as desired, and provides a robust and very cost-effective solution to the near-daily, and often fatal, problem of drivers who take a wrong turn and find themselves heading at speed into oncoming traffic streams. 
The new ATS Wrong-Way Solution can be deployed at all points on the road network, with the system using lidar to give the most accurate performance in all weather and light conditions. Supporting video technology confirms the system’s accuracy. The cloud-based multi-channel notification system alerts the driver with flashing messages and beacons, telling them to stop and turn around, notifies designated authorities immediately via text or email message (both with links to video when available), and alerts other drivers of the wrong-way vehicle via dynamic messages on ATS InstAlert or SpeedAlert variable message signs (VMS), and optionally to 511 traveler information systems, traffic management centers (TMCs) and/or social media apps. Suitable for on/off ramps, major roadways or intersections, the system can be deployed in both permanent or completely self-contained temporary/portable locations.
The Wrong Way Solution is managed in ATS’ internet-accessed TraffiCloud platform and hosted on Microsoft Azure for reliability and high-availability. Over 5,000 organizations use ATS software-as-a-service (SaaS) technologies that allow real-time remote management of traffic and parking devices, and integrate disparate sensor data into a central hub.
“The fatality rate for wrong-way driving incidents is up to 50 times that of other types of incidents. They are a very serious and depressingly common problem,” said Andy Souders, president and CEO of ATS. “The Wrong-Way Solution gives those involved in reducing fatalities and serious injuries as part of Vision Zero and other initiatives a very powerful and dependable solution. The detection technology we use ensures 24/7 accuracy and the supporting cloud-based communication provides near-instant notification to a wide range of interested parties. The system already has its first customer, so we’re already on the way to saving lives.”
Souders said, “The development effort does not stop there. An ambition for the future is to continue to develop the technology to allow direct intervention inside the vehicle, perhaps having it automatically pull over and disable itself. This will enable us to offer a further step-change in traffic safety performance.” 
