Lidar is the new sensor of choice at intersections in the US

LiDAR is moving beyond pilot projects and becoming an increasingly viable option for intersection detection in the US. Falling costs have brought the technology close to price parity with radar, while its ability to create detailed 3D views of vehicles, pedestrians and cyclists is opening up new possibilities for traffic management and road safety.
 

A single roadside LiDAR unit can continuously track road users through an intersection, providing information on movements, trajectories and potential conflicts. Unlike radar, LiDAR can reliably detect pedestrians and cyclists, while offering greater detail and performing better than video in challenging weather and lighting conditions. In Bellevue, Washington, an evaluation of a LiDAR-equipped crosswalk recorded a 56% reduction in pedestrian-vehicle conflicts.
 

Deployment is now scaling rapidly. Around 100 intersections in the Salt Lake City metropolitan area already use LiDAR, with the Utah Department of Transportation aiming to eventually equip approximately 1,600 state-owned intersections. Chattanooga is expanding its network beyond 120 intersections, while deployments are also underway in Atlanta, New Jersey and other US locations.
 

Beyond traffic detection, LiDAR is also being connected with V2X technology. Around 20 LiDAR-equipped intersections in Utah already broadcast information to vehicles, enabling warnings about pedestrians or other hazards that may be outside a driver’s or vehicle’s direct line of sight.

For the full article, visit Traffic Technology Today.