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NSW Launches Driver Safety Technology Trials

Driver safety

The New South Wales government is using its $5 million Smarter Highways program to tackle driver safety across the state’s highways.

Regional NSW highways will utilise low-cost technology trials in an attempt to prompt safer driver behaviour, specifically focused on behavioural issues that can lead to crashes, on these roads across 2025.

Each trial will utilise different kinds of technology to detect issues in the network and warn drivers about hazards. These are:

Smarter Highway Activated Vehicle and Environmental Systems (SHAVES)

SHAVES will take the form of self-adaptive electronic signage with machine learning capability. These are able to predict events and gives motorists warning on hazards including black ice, smoke or wildlife.

This is designed to replace the current need for maintenance crews to manually place Variable Message Signs (VMS). These will be solar powered with high-capacity batteries, localised radio communications between signs, and full Internet of Things (IoT) connectivity for real-time remote access and status reporting.

Permanent traffic counters – Road Pod Vehicle Magnetometer (VM)

The Road Pod VMs are a new form of permanent traffic counter device installed on roads which can detect and provide drivers with information on vehicle volumes, classifications, speeds, headways, road temperatures and system health in real time.

It will allow for live monitoring of traffic in various scenarios, but will most useful in particularly busy times on the road during the start and end of holidays, harvest sessions and natural disaster periods.

These will be trialled on the Great Western Highway, Kelso and Newell Highway, Dubbo.

Rural Intersection Activated Warning System (RIAWS)

This system will serve to indicate drivers on main rural roads to slow down when a vehicle on a side road is approaching it, with sensors triggering Variable Speed Limit Signs (VSLS). It aims to provide more and safer gaps in traffic, which is particularly important for heavy vehicles.

The NSW government believes this will lead to less severe crashes and reduce the need for permanent speed reductions on main roads. It is currently under trial in Victoria.

For full information on the trials, you can view Transport for NSW’s release here.

 

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