Artificial Intelligence (AI) has been in the news a lot lately as it navigates writing music and designing artwork, but have you considered its role in road safety? AI has been creeping into the way we drive for some time, and it is now the turn of HGVs to experience what it can do. It brings huge amounts of innovative technology to the cab of almost any truck in an effort to keep HGV drivers and other road users safer than ever before.
In this article, FleetEx team takes a look at what AI road safety tools are out there and how they are transforming the safety of our roads.
Monitoring systems
AI can be put to great use when it comes to monitoring vehicles and drivers to make sure that they remain safe. There are a number of AI monitoring systems that are now being introduced to HGVs to keep a track of the data that is being produced using sensors and cameras.
This allows the AI algorithms to analyse what it is seeing and detect any anomalies or potential hazards, all in the blink of an eye. This gives it the ability to prevent accidents before they actually happen by triggering lane departure alerts or applying the brakes when it detects a hazard ahead that the driver has not reacted to.
Often, the AI systems are capable of taking in more information than the human brain and reacting much faster, and it is those spilt seconds that can be crucial in minimising any dangers on the roads.
Collision avoidance
Part of what the AI systems are capable of monitoring is the speed and trajectory of the vehicle as well as its proximity to others. It is then able to identify when there is a risk of a collision and can either trigger an alert or taking its own avoiding action. This might include autonomous braking or steering adjustments and has proved highly effective in preventing rear-end collisions and rollovers.
Lane assist
If a driver becomes drowsy, loses concentration or they are taken ill, one of the first signs can be them starting to veer out of its lane. This can be the cause of some very serious accidents, as it is possible to hit another vehicle, or cause a driver to take avoiding action, which can then trigger an accident elsewhere.
Lane assist technology keeps an eye on the path of the vehicle and the road in front, ensuring that it stays within its lane. To change lane safely, all a driver needs to do is indicate to show that this is planned and deliberate. However, if the AI system senses that the driver is drifting, it can automatically take charge of the steering, gently pulling the vehicle back onto the straight and narrow.
Adaptive cruise control
Driving up and down the motorway can become incredibly boring, causing drivers to lose a little of their concentration. This can make it hard to follow busy traffic, leading to a pattern of braking and accelerating that is not only dangerous but also wasteful of fuel. Adaptive cruise control allows you to follow the flow of the traffic whilst also maintaining a safe distance to the vehicle in front. If they slow down, you do too, and when they accelerate, you can as well, within the speed limit.
The AI system not only ensures that your driving is a lot smoother, but it also helps you to maintain a safe stopping distance, ensuring that you are able to avoid the vehicle in front if it were to come to a complete stop.
Driver viewpoints
In an HGV, visibility can be extremely difficult and there can often be things behind you or at the side of you that it is impossible to see. AI has proved very useful in not just identifying that there is an object nearby, but also in differentiating between a vehicle, a human or an inanimate object. This means it can help to take the correct avoiding action, and it can give you full 360-degree views around your truck thanks to the many cameras that it has at its disposal. It is also capable of showing you what is in your blind spot when you indicate, so that you do not make any dangerous moves.
Human monitoring
When we are behind the wheel, we can become sleepy, or even be taken ill, and it is often too late for someone to notice. AI has now been introduced to study drivers as well as the truck and spot for any momentary lapses. These systems are capable of looking out for unexpected steering wheel movements or lane deviations that can trigger an alarm to be sounded. There is even technology capable of studying the face of a driver and spotting the first signs of tiredness.
Driver assistants
AI wants you to have a pleasant journey almost as much as you do, so it wants to hep you plan. It will look at the weather and traffic conditions of a proposed route and will find you the best alternative to help you avoid any periods of extreme weather or long traffic jams, making your journey quicker and more fuel efficient.
Traffic management
AI technology does not just exist inside individual trucks, it can also be found on the outside looking in. This is because it is also part of our traffic management systems, meaning that it is capable of looking at the flow and pattern of the traffic and adjusting things such as traffic signals or speed limits to prevent bottlenecks or take weather conditions into account.
AI is now a part of most vehicles, whether we are aware of it or not, which means it can also be found in many different lorries. It is in place to make life easier, but it has also proved to be a huge life-saving tool by spotting hazards, changes in behaviour and traffic problems that could all impact on the safety of your journey.
The article contains the opinions of the author who is presumed to be an industry insider. The Local Brand® does not endorse any advice, services or products suggested.
Andrea Easton
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