A pioneering road safety project in the West Midlands that harnesses the power of Artificial Intelligence (AI) has earned global recognition for its role in improving road safety.
Transport for West Midlands (TfWM), in partnership with VivaCity, has received the Most Promising Project Award at the International Invention and Innovation Competition for their innovative ‘Near Miss’ detection system.
The award was presented at the 4th Global Ministerial Road Safety Conference in Marrakesh, organised by the World Health Organisation and Morocco’s National Road Safety Authority.
The innovative project uses AI sensors to identify and address potential incidents before they happen.
A total of 40 VivaCity sensors within the TfWM network have been upgraded with near miss detection capabilities, providing real-time traffic data to calculate the likelihood of collisions, with a particular focus on protecting more vulnerable road users such as pedestrians and cyclists.
Richard Parker, Mayor of the West Midlands, said: “One life lost on our roads is one too many. Which is why we are committed to achieving Vision Zero – no deaths or serious injuries on our roads.
“We need to use every tool available to us to make our roads safer – education of drivers, enforcement of speed limits, and developing technology that prevents collisions before they happen.
“I am delighted this work has been internationally recognised. Our innovative use of AI technology is making our roads safer before anyone gets hurt.”
The data-driven insights generated by the AI near-miss sensors help TfWM and local authorities to prioritise infrastructure improvements and safety measures based on accurate, real-time information.
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