As we edge ever closer to a world of connected vehicles on our roads, with each car being able to “talk” to other cars, Ford is developing new safety technology that could predict potential incident hotspots, using data from sources such as connected vehicles and roadside sensors.
Ford is then able to use advanced analytics and data to improve urban mobility and road safety, helping prevent the more than 1.3 million people deaths on global roads every year, according to Ford.
Ford is now embarking on an 18-month project, which has received UK government funding to find out the reasons behind why accidents occur in the first place by capturing the data from over 700 connected passenger and commercial vehicles. Ford will monitor of everything from drivers’ brake or accelerator pedal usage, to steering wheel angle, movement patterns of cyclists and pedestrians and whether the car recorded any incidents. With most Fords already coming with advanced safety technology, Ford hopes that they can learn more about the environments their cars travel in.
By knowing how we drive and what hazards exist for drivers as well as other road users, Ford will be primed to identify areas of improvement, showing what deficiencies exist in the way people drive, as well as highlighting any issues relating to poor road design. We can all relate to poorly places signs, road marking and vegetation obscuring vision through corners. It’s hoped that the study’s findings will be actioned by local governments and councils to reduce the risk of collisions occurring, potentially saving lived.
“The insights and analysis will be used to further prove and develop the digital road safety algorithm and tool into a scalable, commercial product to benefit cities and citizens around the world,” Ford said in a statement.
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