New smart infrastructure to improve road safety

Impact attenuators that notify the police in the event of an accident, linings for tunnels and underpasses that contribute to road safety and intelligent parapets for roads capable of identifying risk situations and alerting users. They are the most recent results of the collaboration that was initiated two years ago by researchers from the Polytechnic University of Valencia (UPV), belonging to the ai2 Institute, and the company Metalesa, in Spain.

These devices, marketed by Metalesa, incorporate software and electronics in the design of which the ai2 Institute team has participated. They also have external visibility, temperature and air quality sensors, a radar, and thermal cameras. With all these devices, active road safety is provided to citizens, that is, the equipment is no longer passive, but rather proactively detects risk situations, of which both road users and emergency centers are alerted. traffic management, police, etc.

“A couple of years ago, Metalesa contacted us to incorporate digital technology into its products with one objective: to contribute to improving safety on our roads. We were evaluating different solutions and developed different prototypes that today are already tangible in products marketed by the company under the PLUG&META brand,” highlights Francisco Blanes, researcher at the ai2 Institute of the UPV.

World's first smart parapet

In the case of the smart parapet, the joint team of Metalesa and the UPV defined up to ten different scenarios and behaviors, so that its lighting is turned on depending on each of these risk situations. “For example, if there is a traffic jam on a section entering the city, the parapet lights up and signals the preceding section to warn drivers of this situation, thus facilitating mobility and traffic management. Or, for example, if a vehicle is detected approaching at excessive speed, or if there is a person crossing a pedestrian crossing, the parapet also lights up, warning to avoid an accident. In addition, this smart parapet is also capable of collecting information on CO2 levels and sending it, along with the rest of the variables, to a data collection platform hosted in the cloud,” says Francisco Blanes.

The first parapet equipped with the innovative PLUG&META technology was installed last December on the Bimil·lenari bridge in Elche, making it the first parapet with this level of intelligence and complexity in the world. “It is one of the most emblematic bridges in the city. The more than 900 meters of our system installed provide many advantages to protect users from, for example, going off the road or being run over; It is a new paradigm in terms of containment systems and road and urban equipment. It raises them to another level, turning them into an active agent of the smart city ecosystem,” highlights César Valero, director of Digital and Technological Innovation at Metalesa.

The UPV and Metalesa team has developed parapets, tunnel linings and intelligent impact attenuators that warn of risk situations and help improve road safety. (Photo: UPV)

Impact attenuators in Valencia

This same technology has also been installed in an impact attenuator in the city of Valencia, specifically in front of the Nuevo Centro bus station. “In the event of an accident, and thanks to the versatility of the same technology, this device immediately alerts the local police, thus facilitating the management of this risk situation,” adds César Valero. Meanwhile, the intelligent lining for tunnels also allows both users and authorities to be warned of possible situations that endanger road safety in these environments.

“The collaboration between the ai2 Institute team and Metalesa has made it possible to include digital technology in transportation infrastructures, making them intelligent and thus contributing to improving their safety and, above all, saving lives. We trust that this is the future of road safety equipment; In fact, the Ministry of Transport and Sustainable Mobility has selected this concept to test it within its Innovative Public Procurement process,” concludes César Valero. (Source: UPV)