Ford Testing New Predictive Road Safety Tool
Photo: Ford
Who wouldn’t want to drive with the confidence of knowing what’s coming on the road ahead? That’s confidence Ford Motor Company looks to create with the development of predictive road safety technology. Ford of Europe’s Data-Driven Road Safety Tool leverages information to identify potential traffic safety problem areas so that cities can address them more quickly.
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“Soon every new vehicle will be a connected vehicle, and we see this as an opportunity to reduce road traffic incidents and save lives in a significant way,” said Jon Scott, project lead, City Insights, Ford Mobility, Europe. “By collaborating with leading innovators, experts, and academics — and with the backing of Innovate U.K. — we truly believe we can help improve mobility for millions around the world.”
Data-Driven Road Safety Tool aims to help cities
The Data-Driven Road Safety Tool uses data pulled from connected vehicles as well as from infrastructure to figure out what areas could create the most potential risk. Ford is operating a fleet of around 700 connected passenger and commercial vehicles in Oxfordshire and London. Helping Ford in its 18-month pilot is Vivacity Labs, a specialist in AI sensors whose products can obtain data from non-connected vehicles as well as pedestrians and cyclists.
Data obtained through the trial will be analyzed by Ford’s Global Data Insight and Analytics team as well as the Transport Safety Research Center at Loughborough University. With that information and its own locally sourced information, the Oxfordshire County Council will determine what approaches can be taken to increase road safety.
Ford is eager to become a world leader in smart mobility solutions. This includes investing in last-mile solutions like Spin, rolling out connected vehicle technology across its lineup, and investing in electrification and autonomous vehicle development.
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Kyle S. Johnson lives in Cincinnati, a city known by many as “the Cincinnati of Southwest Ohio.” He enjoys professional wrestling, Halloween, and also other things. He has been writing for a while, and he plans to continue to write well into the future. See more articles by Kyle.