Experimental Vehicle Platform for Pedestrian Detection Transit Bus Application Task Order 5200 A Cal

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Experimental Vehicle Platformfor Pedestrian
Detection- Transit Bus ApplicationTask Order
5200A Caltrans-PATH Project

• Ching-Yao Chan, California PATH
• Caltrans/PATH Workshops, Traffic Operations
  Safety
• August 19, 2004

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Project Summary

• Project Goal Experimental evaluation of
  pedestrian sensing solutions aimed at field
  deployment to improve pedestrian safety
• Proposal submitted and approved in 2003
• Task Order contract signed in January 2004, and
  work started in February 2004
• Caltrans Project Engineer Gloria Gwynne

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Project Motivation

• Pedestrian safety is a significant traffic
  concern nationwide and statewide.
• Nationwide 4,000 annual pedestrian fatalities
• 3500 fatalities and 75,000 pedestrian
  collisions in California in the last 5 years.
• A critical and top-priority mission of Caltrans
• A serious problem in its own, further compounded
  by public perception

IIHS 2002 Pedestrian Fatality Facts
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Some Nationwide Statistics
IIHS 2002 Pedestrian Fatality Facts
SWITRS State-Wide Integrated Traffic Records
System
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Nationwide Statistics Summary
IIHS 2002 Pedestrian Fatality Facts

• Pedestrian deaths are primarily an urban problem.
  Many pedestrians are killed at crosswalks,
  sidewalks, median strips, and traffic islands.
• Seventy percent of pedestrian deaths in 2002
  occurred in urban areas. However, the ratio of
  deaths to injuries is higher in rural areas
  because of higher impact speeds on rural roads.
• Seventy-one percent of all pedestrian deaths in
  2002 occurred on major roads, including freeways.
• Pedestrian fatality is worst among the elderly.
• Thirty-six percent of pedestrian deaths among
  people age 65 and older in 2002 occurred at
  intersections. This compares with 20 percent for
  persons of other ages.

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An Unforgiving Discriminator Age
IIHS 2002 Pedestrian Fatality Facts
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Pedestrian Collisions in California Long Term
Trends
Source Pedestrian Safety Task Force, 1999
(88-97), Directly from SWITRS (98-01)
Courtesy of David Ragland, Traffic Safety Center
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Pedestrian Collisions Statewide State
Highway System (1997 2001)
SWITRS 1997-2001 Courtesy of David Ragland,
Traffic Safety Center
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Identify Zones of High Injury Density
City-wide injury zones
Corridor injuries
Courtesy of David Ragland, Traffic Safety Center
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Why Focus on Transit Application?

• Transit buses encounter a large volume of
  pedestrian traffic in their routes, bus stops,
  and intersections.
• Accidents involving transit buses are compounded
  into transit operational and cost problems and
  impact on mobility and efficiency.
• Transit-pedestrian accidents again, a serious
  problem in its own, yet further compounded by
  public perception.
• Transit buses run on pre-known routes and are
  primary candidates to integrate infrastructure
  and vehicle-based solutions.
• Transit buses are higher-priced vehicles and thus
  can be initial candidates for advanced technology
  solutions with minimum cost impact.

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Caltrans Mission and Involvement

• Pedestrian Safety - A primary safety mission of
  Caltrans
• Enhancing public safety by reducing pedestrian
  accidents
• Synergy with previous and current Federal and
  State efforts
• Transit Applications Targeting safety benefits
  as well as transit operations and roadway
  efficiency
• An essential functionality for urban operating
  environment
• A leading candidate platform to implement
  Vehicle-Infrastructure Integration (VII)
• Synergy with previous and current Federal and
  State Transit projects (BRT Planning, CWS,
  Lane-Assist, Signal Priority)

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Synergy with other Current PATH-Caltrans Research
Projects

• Safety Research Area
• TO 5204 Pedestrian/Bicycle Safety in a SMART
  Corridor
• TO 5600 Intersection Decision Support - Towards
  a Systems Approach to Achieve Nationally
  Interoperable Solutions
• Transit Research Area
• TO 5400 Vehicle/Driver Monitoring for Enhanced
  Safety of Transit Buses
• TO 5603 Development of Deployment Strategy for
  an Integrated BRT System
• 65A0150 Transit Bus collision Warning Systems
  Integration Program

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Samtrans-PATH Collision Warning System Field
Operational Tests
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Intersection Decision Support A Cooperative
Approach
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Experimental Platform PATH Automated Bus System
Configuration
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Project Approach

• Approach
• Categorize sensor requirements into two distinct
  operating conditions Stationary (bus stops and
  intersections) and In-motion.
• Look for innovative use of existing and emerging
  technologies proximity sensors (ultrasonic,
  microwave), people counting system (video,
  infrared), and vehicle-infrastructure integration
  solutions.

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Emphasis is COTS evaluation, but not basic
research developments

• Technology Candidates?
• Longer Range
• Vision
• Laser Scanner
• Radar
• Shorter Range
• Infrared
• Ultrasonic
• Radar

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Pedestrian Detection Collision
Avoidance(Cybercar Demonstration, Antibes,
France, June 10, 2004)
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IBEO Laser Scanner Evaluation
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Pre-crash- Pedestrians Protection        
Pedestrians standing along the host vehicle path
or entering in motion into the primary path are
in danger of being hit by the host vehicle
causing severe injury both to the pedestrian and
to the vehicle occupants by crashing through the
windscreen. Car manufacturers plan to support
engine hoods which pop-up to create a protective
ramp in case of a collision with pedestrians. The
Vision sensor combines pattern recognition and
visual motion to lock onto pedestrians and issue
a hood release in case of imminent collision.
Mobile Eye Vision System Evaluation
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Microwave Optical Sensors
IRIS Infrared People Counter
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Principal Expected Products

• Assessment of COTS Pedestrian Detection
  Technologies
• Experimental Evaluation of Vehicle-Based and VII
  concepts and solutions
• Recommendations of Sensor Types and
  Configurations for Field Operational Tests
• Recommendations for Vehicle-Infrastructure
  Integrated Solutions.

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Next Steps

• Deliver for this project as proposed (We are just
  starting!)
• Look out for follow-up field operational tests
  opportunities with partnerships with local
  transit agencies (Candiates AC Transit,
  Samtrans, Muni, etc.)
• Explore System integration with Driver-Vehicle
  Interface
• Develop VII deployment packages by combining
  roadside pedestrian detection and wireless
  communication alerts to transit drivers (For
  example, combining IDSBRTPed CWS)

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An VII DSRC Application IDS/Ped/Transit CWS