The Role of AI Technology in Smart Cities
Growing city populations make urban innovation more vital than ever. Learn how smart cities use AI to improve the quality of life for their citizens.
Tuesday, June 18, 2024
Pedestrian and cyclist fatalities due to car accidents have increased in recent years. Learn how revolutionary technology can keep all road users safe.
The U.S. is currently facing a road safety crisis—in recent years, car crash fatalities have increased significantly, and pedestrian and cyclist deaths in particular have reached alarming rates. As highly populated cities continue to grow, the risk of roadway accidents will only heighten. Fortunately, several technology-powered solutions on the horizon could help increase pedestrian and cyclist safety. Learn how organizations across the country are revolutionizing road safety.
Pedestrian and Cyclist Safety Challenges in U.S. Cities
Recent statistics indicate that U.S. roads are becoming increasingly dangerous for pedestrians and cyclists. In 2023, there were more than 44,000 traffic fatalities, a 13 percent increase compared to pre-pandemic numbers. While car crashes can be fatal for motorists, pedestrians and cyclists are at a significantly higher risk of injury or death in roadway accidents. Since 2010, cyclist fatalities have gone up by 25 percent, while pedestrian deaths have risen a startling 45 percent. Even more alarming, pedestrian and cyclist fatalities caused by motor vehicle accidents continue to increase even in cities where overall traffic casualties have diminished, such as Los Angeles, New York, and Washington D.C.
However, the problem extends beyond major cities—in Colorado, pedestrian fatalities reached a new high of 131 people, and cyclist deaths increased by 33 percent in 2023 according to the Colorado Department of Transportation. This trend is a result of various factors, some of which include driving under the influence, distracted driving, and speeding. Additionally, most American cities lack the proper infrastructure to protect pedestrians and cyclists. As the world becomes steadily more car-centric, the streets are built with motorists in mind, while overlooking pedestrian and cyclist safety.
Over the past several years, many organizations have promoted the health and environmental benefits of walking and biking to encourage people to drive less; however, the above statistics depict a tough reality that our roadways haven’t yet evolved to make U.S. cities safer for all roadway users (The Daily Iowan, 2024).
Insights from Smart City Works’ 2021 Fairfax County Innovation Challenge
In efforts to improve traffic safety, Smart City Works launched the Fairfax County Innovation Challenge in 2021, which revolved around bicycle and pedestrian safety. Here are some vital takeaways from this Pitch and Pilot competition:
What was the challenge?
The 2021 Fairfax County Innovation Challenge was a collaboration between Smart City Works’ Innovation Hub, Fairfax County, and Virginia’s Center for Innovative Technology (CIT). The challenge aimed to identify pioneering solutions to the issue of pedestrian and cyclist safety in the county of Fairfax, Virginia, with the winning team receiving the opportunity to pilot their project in Fairfax County. Fairfax County Board Chairman, Jeffrey McKay explained, “Fairfax County has invested more than $536 million in federal, state, and local funding to upgrade bicycle, trail, and pedestrian and bus stops. One accident or one pedestrian fatality is too many, and we hope by harnessing innovative technology like the ones in this competition, we will be able to improve safety for all county residents.”
The panel of judges for the Fairfax County Innovation Challenge included Yvette White, board member of the Fairfax Alliance for Better Bicycling; Eric Teitleman, Capital Projects and Traffic Engineering Division Chief at the Fairfax County Department of Transportation; Heidi Mitter, Transportation Planning Specialist at the Virginia Department of Transportation; Michael Fontaine, Associate Director of the Virginia Transportation Research Council; and Lisa Brown, Senior Director of Local Government and Global Markets at Johnson Controls.
Open to those located in Northern Virginia (NOVA) and greater D.C. metropolitan areas, the competition welcomed anyone from start-ups and college students to technologists and entrepreneurs to apply.
Who were the finalists?
More than 15 teams from across the U.S. applied for the Innovation Challenge. Six finalists were selected from the pool of applicants: Boulder AI + AMAG, Derq, Ford Safety Insights, Sensagrate, Street Simplified, and Transoft Solutions.
Boulder AI utilizes next-generation artificial intelligence (AI) and Internet of Things (IoT) technology to provide data-driven insights that help people live better lives.
Derq is a global organization dedicated to “creating safer and smarter roads” through traffic management applications that facilitate real-time safety insights and in-depth traffic performance analysis.
Sensagrate is committed to creating transportation infrastructure that enables the safe deployment of autonomous vehicles through its smart infrastructure-to-vehicle (I2V) communication platform.
Street Simplified uses proactive safety analytics collected through high-resolution video and processed via AI to help reduce the occurrence of devastating traffic accidents.
Transoft Solutions provides advanced software solutions for transportation, aviation, civil infrastructure, and operational professionals to create highly efficient and safe transportation infrastructure and systems.
Each team proposed a unique solution to achieve one unified goal: making roadways safer for cyclists and pedestrians. While every finalist provided valuable insights on the issue, one team took their innovation to the next level.
Who was the winner?
The judges evaluated the finalists based on five criteria: practicality, innovation, safety, scalability, and the equity and inclusivity of the solution. Ultimately, Street Simplified was chosen as the winner of the 2021 Fairfax County Innovation Challenge. The judges applauded Street Simplified for its data-driven approach to identifying risk factors with existing infrastructure and its planned implementation of safety countermeasures. Street Simplified’s application was also strengthened by its partnership with Fairfax Families For Safer Streets, an organization dedicated to ending cyclist and pedestrian accidents and fatalities due to motor vehicle accidents.
“This is an excellent example of how emerging technology can address real-world problems and provide cost-effective, innovative solutions. And in this case, it will make a difference by saving lives,” said Chairman Jeffery McKay. (Fairfax County, 2021).
Recent Pedestrian and Cyclist Safety Initiatives
The winners of the 2021 Fairfax County Innovation Challenge set a strong precedence for improving roadway safety in the U.S. Let’s take a look at some recent pedestrian and cyclist safety initiatives across the country:
The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) is a government-run organization that seeks to provide the American population with the world’s top transportation system to foster the safe, equitable, efficient, and sustainable movement of goods and people. By partnering with local, state, and federal agencies, the DOT aims to improve the safety of those walking and biking on roadways and sidewalks. One of the DOT’s latest initiatives is the Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) grant program, established through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL). This program will fund local, regional, and Tribal initiatives to prevent serious injuries and deaths on U.S. streets until the end of 2026. Five billion dollars have been appropriated to the program, of which three billion dollars is still available for use in future grants (U.S. Department of Transportation, 2024a).
The DOT recently awarded the city of Bellevue, Washington, a $1.43 million grant to fund its Real-Time Traffic Signal Safety Interventions (RTSSI) project, which will test video analytics, intelligent sensors, edge computing, and deep learning technologies to identify road safety risks and adjust traffic signals. This technology could recognize when a person hasn’t fully crossed the roadway within the given time and delay the stoplight change until all pedestrians safely arrive on the sidewalk. This smart traffic technology is especially useful in areas like Bellevue, which has a large population of older adults. The RTSSI grant was issued as a part of the DOT’s Strengthening Mobility and Revolutionizing Transportation (SMART) program, designed to help governments create safer and more efficient transportation systems through innovative technology (Schlosser, 2024).
Nationwide, municipalities are working toward creating walkable infrastructures and better public transportation systems, eventually reducing the necessity for personal vehicle ownership. Until then, the current roadway infrastructure in the U.S. still caters to motorists only, making travel especially dangerous for cyclists and pedestrians. Road safety issues cannot be fixed overnight—but with the development of breakthrough technology like Street Simplified’s safety analytics system and government initiatives, we are one step closer to reversing the upward trend of motor vehicle fatalities.
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Smart City Works is a non-profit focused on solving urban challenges through technology and innovation that fosters greater economic development. We harness the power of digital technology to create smart, sustainable, and resilient communities.
Contact us today to learn more about how Smart City Works can help you innovate your organization, business, or community.
Resources:
Bellevue awarded $1.4M to test tech that adjusts traffic signals in real time for pedestrian safety
Fairfax Innovation Challenge Bike and Pedestrian Safety Winner Selected (a)
Improving Safety for Walking, Biking, and Rolling (a)
Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) Grant Program (b)
Smart City Works Announces Pitch and Pilot: Pedestrian/Bike Safety Innovation Challenge (b)
US cities are becoming increasingly dangerous for pedestrians and cyclists, statistics reveal