Lima Expresa Introduces an AI Accident Detection System to Improve Safety on its Roads
Lima, Peru, London, UK, 22 September 2023 - To improve their road safety and road management, LIMA EXPRESA, a VINCI Highways company and the concessionaire of the Vía de Evitamiento and the Línea Amarilla express road, announces the successful deployment of an automatic accidents detection system. First of its kind in Peru, it leverages AI and advanced data analytics to improve road safety and increase road operations efficiency.
The Vía de Evitamiento and the Línea Amarilla express road are vital for the 10 million inhabitants’ Peruvian capital. Serving as primary connectors between key transport hubs, these arteries help to alleviate congestion in the historic centre of Lima and offer reduction in journey times for their users. With the growing traffic, currently standing at 200,000 vehicles per day, it is expected that the total number of road events in 2023 will reach 14,000, — a sharp 17% rise from 12,000 in 2022. This trend over past years shows the increased need for leveraging technology in traffic monitoring and management, especially for incidents detection.
In 2021 LIMA EXPRESA’s initiative to deploy an innovative automatic incidents detection system received co-financing as Open Innovation category winner by ProInnóvate programme of the Ministry of Production in Peru. To achieve this, LIMA EXPRESA partnered with Valerann, global leader in advanced traffic monitoring solutions.
Lanternn by Valerann™ (LbV) is an AI platform for real-time road traffic monitoring. It is the core of the LIMA EXPRESA automatic incidents detection system. The solution detects over 95% of all road incidents in under five minutes. This is achieved by ingesting multiple data sources, such as traffic PTZ cameras, roadside infrastructure, Waze and Google Maps detecting anomalies and delivering accurate road traffic information in real time. It removes road authorities’ reliance on manual events verification by detecting and identifying road incidents while providing information on the exact incident location, cause, and severity of the incidents.
Using Lanternn by Valerann™, the LIMA EXPRESA team at the modernized Argos Operations Control Center, can significantly reduce incidents response time, increase road safety and improve resources management, including inspection vehicles, light and heavy tow trucks, an ambulance, fire engine and road sweepers. Further enhancing road safety, the system facilitates preventative measures for road accidents management by detecting pedestrians and stopped vehicles in potentially dangerous zones.
"Our collaboration with LIMA EXPRESA is more than just a collaboration; it's a commitment to saving lives. Lanternn by Valerann™ will truly revolutionize road safety and traffic management on major arteries in Lima. We're proud to be part of this transformative journey." – says Gabriel Jacobson, CEO and co-founder of Valerann.
"As part of VINCI Highways, innovation is part of our DNA at LIMA EXPRESA. This desire to innovate led us to win the ProInnóvate Contest and deploy this revolutionary automatic detection system to improve our service for thousands of customers who travel our roads as well as to continue reinforcing our accidents prevention and road safety culture. Between 2016 and 2022 we achieved a 70% reduction of serious accidents, and with the strategic use of latest technology, we hope to further reduce the rate of accidents on our roads," - says Janis Rey, CEO of VINCI Highways and General Manager of LIMA EXPRESA.
New Guide to Empower Creation of Road Safety Data Coalitions in Africa
Geneva, 14 September, 2023— Today, the Global Alliance of NGOs for Road Safety (the Alliance) and the International Road Federation (IRF), with the support of the TotalEnergies Foundation program, are pleased to release the LEARN Guide, a new resource of information and support to empower road safety advocates globally.
The LEARN (Learn, Examine, Act, Replicate, Network) programme has already undergone successful piloting and implementation in six African countries (Cameroon, Kenya, Senegal, Tunisia, Uganda, Zambia). The initiative has led to the formation of coalitions in each country, bringing together NGOs, government, and other stakeholders. Using a data-driven approach, these coalitions tackle specific road safety challenges and solutions, including 30 km/h zones and crash investigation, among others.
The guide enables NGOs and other road safety stakeholders to set up their own LEARN coalitions, benefiting from the tools and learning experiences of existing ones. Structured in six straightforward steps, coupled with templates and advice, its main objective is to enhance road safety data collection and management in African countries and to contribute towards halving the estimated 744 deaths resulting from road crashes on African roads every day according to WHO data.
Road safety data management is one of the areas highlighted in both the Global Plan for the Decade of Action for Road Safety 2021–2030 (Global Plan) and the African Road Safety Charter. The need for multi-stakeholder collaboration has been highlighted as key to improving road safety data, especially in low- and middle-income countries.
Lotte Brondum, Executive Director of the Alliance, said, “NGOs can play a pivotal role in supporting their governments to achieve a 50% reduction in road deaths and injuries. The Global Plan tasks civil society with augmenting the evidence base and bringing the perspectives of communities. This guide is equipping NGOs in Africa to do just that. We are delighted to work with IRF on this important programme and thank TotalEnergies for providing financial support to make it possible.”
Susanna Zammataro, Director General of IRF, said, “Road safety decision-making must be based on evidence and data, but sometimes specific, contextual data is not available. Through the formation of powerful multi stakeholders’ coalitions, LEARN is not only helping to address this gap, but building also capacity at different levels and strengthening action in Africa by enhancing collaboration and coordination.”
Olivier Rabier, Program Director, TotalEnergies Foundation, said, “Safety is at the heart of TotalEnergies’ values. LEARN seamlessly aligns with our unwavering commitment to supporting effective responses to society's challenges. The initiative is equipping civil society organisations and government policy-makers to work together and to use data to make good road safety decisions that can help save lives on Africa's roads.”
About the International Road Federation (IRF)
The International Road Federation (IRF) is a global, independent and not-for-profit organisation with headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland. Active since 1948, IRF is a membership-based organisation, representing leading corporate and institutional players drawn from the road and mobility sectors worldwide. Operating in more than 130 countries in the world, IRF’s mission is to promote the development of road networks that enable access and sustainable mobility for all. Its approach is centred on key strategic components of knowledge transfer & information sharing, connecting people, businesses, and organisations, and working on policy & advocacy.
About the Global Alliance of NGOs for Road Safety
The Global Alliance of NGOs for Road Safety (the Alliance) represents more than 300 member NGOs working in road safety and safe mobility from 100-plus countries around the world. The Alliance is a registered nonprofit organization and is the platform for NGOs worldwide to share knowledge and collectively advocate for road safety and the rights of victims of road traffic crashes. The Alliance provides services to its members in three key areas: 1) a strong network 2) advocacy and accountability, and 3) capacity building.
About TotalEnergies
TotalEnergies is a global multi-energy company that produces and markets energies: oil and biofuels, natural gas and green gases, renewables and electricity. Our more than 100,000 employees are committed to energy that is ever more affordable, cleaner, more reliable, and accessible to as many people as possible. Active in nearly 130 countries, TotalEnergies puts sustainable development in all its dimensions at the heart of its projects and operations to contribute to the well-being of people.
About the TotalEnergies Foundation program
The TotalEnergies Foundation program brings together the public-interest initiatives carried out every day worldwide by TotalEnergies and its affiliates. Through the program, TotalEnergies aims to contribute to the vitality of its host communities and regions, with a special focus on young people. The Company works alongside partners in four priority areas: Inclusion & Education; Road Safety; Climate, Coastal Areas & Oceans; and Cultural Dialogue & Heritage. It mobilizes also its employees by giving them the opportunity to devote up to three days of their working time each year to public-interest initiatives. TotalEnergies Foundation hence contributes to the Company’s citizenship engagement.
www.fondation.totalenergies.com
Join the IRF at the PIARC World Road Congress 2023
The International Road Federation (IRF) will be joining the transport community at the XXVIIth edition of the PIARC World Road Congress to be hosted in Prague, Czech Republic, on 2 – 6 October 2023.
The rich programme of this must-attend event includes ministerial sessions, 60 technical sessions covering key aspects of road transport, valuable poster sessions, specialised workshops, foresight sessions and much more.
IRF's participation in the congress will be marked by a series of foresight sessions and workshops organised in collaboration with various partners and IRF members as well as active participation in a number of sessions. Here’s some highlights of our programme:
Building a climate-responsive Road Sector – IRF & ORIS Workshop
Date and Time: 4 October | 9:30 - 11:00
Location: Room Klub E (1st floor)
This workshop will delve into innovative approaches, especially digital solutions, that support the road sector in reducing its carbon footprint and preparing for climate change impacts. Discussions will focus on the role of digitalisation and the significance of digital twins in creating a climate-responsive road sector.
Mobilising Investments and Partnerships for Road Safety Impact - IRF & iRAP Foresight Session 08
Date and Time: 4 October | 14:30 18:00
Location: Room Jizni 3C (3rd floor)
This session will explore the business case for investing in safer roads and strategies for mobilising the necessary partnerships and investments to achieve the goals of the Decade of Action for Road Safety. Discussion will focus on how support for results-based financing, impact investment and Road Safety Bonds will provide the foundation for the mobilisation of existing and new finance to unlock the win-win-win benefits of safe and sustainable transport.
Physical & Digital Infrastructure for Large-Scale CCAM Adoption - IRF & CEDR Foresight Session 09
Date and Time: 5 October | 9:30 - 11:00
Location: Room Jizni 3C (3rd floor)
This session aims to critically assess the "business case" for road authorities to invest in supporting Cooperative, Connected, and Automated Mobility (CCAM) and the associated Physical and Digital Infrastructure (PDI) initiatives. Real-world examples from the US and Europe will illustrate principles and discuss the needs of infrastructure owners and operators for the future.
Managing the Energy Transition: Scaling Up Charging EV Infrastructure - IRF & AASHTO Foresight Session 12
Date and Time: 6 October | 9:30 - 13:00
Location: Room Jizni 2AB (2nd floor)
This session will address crucial questions about the business case for electric mobility in different regions, the role of charging infrastructure in accelerating the transition, and actions that governments and financial institutions can take to facilitate equitable deployment.
IRF will be more over speaking at the CAF - Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean foresight session 4 on Rural Roads on 3 October, at the iRAP Innovation Workshop on 5 October and at the PIARC Foresight Session 11 on A Gender Inclusive Transport on 5 October.
More information on the full programme of the congress and registration can be found at the official congress website: https://www.wrc2023prague.org/
If you would like to book an appointment with the IRF team present in Prague, please write to info@irfnet.ch
Successful Crash Investigation Course Hosted in Qatar
Organised by the International Road Federation together with the Qatar Transportation and Traffic Safety Centre (University of Qatar) with the support of Kathib&Alami, the course « Introduction to crash Investigation” was hosted in Doha, on 10 – 12 September 2023 at Qatar University.
Welcoming participants from the region and beyond, the goal of the training was to present the principles and techniques of road crash investigation and to provide a comprehensive explanation of how on-scene investigations and reporting are conducted, serving as a practical guideline for real-life scenarios.
“The programme is specifically designed to familiarise investigators with the intricacies of crash investigation as a highly specialised field within forensics” said Benjamin Van Rooyen, lead trainer.
“This short learning programme will be followed by a more advanced applied crash investigation programme, which will concentrate on a wide range of issues to further enhance the skills of crash investigators” commented Dr Wael K. M. Alhajyaseen from the Qatar Transportation and Traffic Safety Centre (QTTSC). “ Together with IRF we work at expanding our training offer” he added.
“We are delighted to continue our fruitful collaboration with the University of Qatar and to work jointly to empower professionals with the knowledge and skills they need to proactively minimise road crash risks and effectively reduce fatalities and injuries on our roads” said Susanna Zammataro, Director General of the International Road Federation in celebrating the successful conclusion of this course.
More information available here.
ASIMOB's Lightweight AI Solution for Road Pavement Inspections: A Game-changer on Road Safety and Efficiency
The digital transformation of traditional inspection for pavement and lane markings must be aligned with the requirements of ADAS systems in vehicles and ensure frequent checks.
The maintenance of the road surface takes a big share of the costs of a road during its long years of operation: reparation and paint. Keeping the road surface in good condition is not only for making driving more comfortable: in well-kept roads, vehicles will use less fuel, and drivers will have less run-off-road accidents if the lane markings are visible.
Early detection, when minor interventions can significantly delay the need for costly mayor works. But manual early detection requires trained personnel regularly doing exhaustive and detailed visual inspections with uniform criteria. This is costly, and unattainable for most of the road network, especially secondary roads, which happen to be the most dangerous ones.
For this application, AI technology is ground-breaking: ASIMOB’s Autonomous Road Inspector can automatically inspect every centimetre of road, checking for the relevant parameters: location and identification of different types of damage, evaluation of its size and the length of the lane with defects or their degree of severity… as well as the visibility of the lane markings. A very lightweight installation in a vehicle (normally from the maintenance fleet), that will drive along the road can gather the data, which is analysed to provide useful and detailed information about the condition of the surface for whole networks in a record time.
To provide useful information regarding the damage in the road surface, these analysis of the data can be designed to check against the usual indexes defined by technical bodies that road maintenance and inspection teams use, such as Global Index (IG) of Belgium’s Centre de Recherches Routières (CRR), or the Road Condition Index (IC) of the Spanish Committee for Low-Volume Roads. Automation enables detailed and exhaustive inspections, avoiding heterogeneous evaluations (quite common in manual inspections) and systematically applying the designed criteria.
Lane markings are essential for guiding drivers, especially at night, and also for the good performance of the LKAS (Lane Keeping Assistance), a common feature of the current ADAS Systems of new vehicles.
The standard measurement performed on lane markings is the reflectometry, which measures the quality of the marking’s paint. However, reflectometry measurements do not take into account some critical factors: the problem of the visibility of the lines goes beyond the quality of the paint itself. The colour of the pavement next to the lane marking, the colour of the paint itself, or the presence of water, snow, ice or other elements on the pavement, can change the perception and visibility of the lines for drivers and LKAS. The perception of these lines is not the same during the day in sunny conditions, at night, or in times of rain. The reflectometry measurement provides a fixed number, but the perception of the line changes in different conditions.
