In an effort to increase road safety and monitor traffic more accurately, Wisconsin-based TrafficCast, a traffic-related IT company, and Texas-based Trafficware, a transportation R&D company, partnered to create BlueTOAD Spectra Road Side Unit (RSU). The device combines data analytics platform, BlueARGUS and TrafficCast’s mobile app with Trafficware’s Connected Vehicle capabilities.
A Road Side Unit is designed to prevent car crashes and strengthen road safety by monitoring traffic and then providing data to nearby smart devices. BlueTOAD accomplishes this as a Vehicle to Infrastructure(V2I) platform that works as a travel time detector, as well as with the traffic signal systems. The technology comes from combining both Discoverable and Non-Discoverable Bluetooth, as well as Dedicated Short Range Communications into one roadside device.
Connected Vehicle technology allows vehicles on the road to communicate with each other on potentially dangerous situations, using smartphones or other devices. Trafficware has existing Connected Vehicle technology within traffic signal intersections, using V2I technology, and the partnership will enable them to increase installation to more than 2,500 intersections in the U.S. TrafficCast’s Vice President Paul Misticawi described the platform as “the foundation to enable Smart City strategies.”
“This is a perfect fit for two industry-leading technologies in marrying their respective technologies to bring real Connected Vehicle applications to the marketplace,” said Trafficware’s Senior Vice President, Jeff Spinazze. “Trafficware and TrafficCast have moved way beyond others in the industry by delivering real CV/AV deployments that have a positive impact on millions of drivers.”
TrafficCast’s mobile app, TravelSmart, is available for Apple and Android and reports on travel times, road speeds, and route choice behaviors.
