Lidar sensor supplier Innoviz Technologies Ltd. has signed an agreement to deploy a lidar-based bridge collision detection system on highways, tunnels and bridges across Israel.
Innoviz, which is based in Tel Aviv, is working with Drive Group on the collision system after testing other on- and off-highway solutions. After conferring with customers, it was decided they needed a lidar-based, technology-driven solution to solve common traffic issues.
According to Innoviz data, about 15,000 bridge and tunnel collisions occur in the U.S. annually. This results in about $18,000 per accident in damage, or about $270 million annually. With smart cities and connected infrastructure on the rise, this type of system could represent a potentially sizable opportunity, the company said.
Drive Group is an operator of highways and toll roads in Israel and worked with Innoviz on commercializing the early phases of the collision detection system. After a trial, the company became a distributor of the technology for broader deployment in the country.
How it works
The system uses data gathered from Innoviz lidar sensors on both sides of a highway and several kilometers ahead of the entrance to a bridge or tunnel. The system establishes a safe operating zone and identifies vehicle heights or widths that may exceed the range determined by road operators.
A system alert is then triggered to identify and share license plate information with local authorities. These authorities then intervene and stop the vehicle before a potential collision happens. Innoviz said that as intelligent transportation systems advance, these warnings could be sent wirelessly directly to the vehicle in danger for seamless intervention.
The system potentially can reduce false alarms from camera-based software systems currently used on bridges and tunnels that create 3D maps of the world based on 2D images. Lidar systems offer more accurate 3D visualization of vehicle’s dimensions, Innoviz said.
"There is no reason to accept the present situation of bridge and tunnel accidents,” said Omer Keilaf, CEO and co-founder of Innoviz. “It is estimated that 2%-3% of the world's bridges are damaged every year, and we believe the technologies being developed at Innoviz can be a game changer for roadways across the world.”