ITRI researchers posed with the silver trophy at the 2019 Edison Awards in New York.
ITRI won Silver in the Transportation & Logistics category at 2019 Edison Awards™ with its V2X system solution iRoadSafe. Its representatives accepted the award in New York, NY on April 4, 2019. The Edison Awards™ have been honoring and fostering innovation and innovators to create a positive impact in the world in the spirit of Thomas Edison since 1987. Being recognized with an Edison Award™ is one of the highest accolades a company can receive in the name of innovation and business success. Other winners this year include IBM, 3M, and the Dow Chemical Company.
iRoadSafe is the world’s first V2X safety system solution integrating V2V/V2I communications, roadside sensing, and CMS (Changeable Message Sign) technologies to provide safety warnings for all road users, including those without on-board unit (OBU) installation. The system supports U.S. and Europe DSRC (Dedicated Short Range Communications) standards in 5.9 GHz. To break through the limitation from OBU installation, iRoadSafe integrates advanced roadside sensing technologies (e.g. radar, LiDAR, and cameras) to detect all moving objects on the road and broadcasts extensive V2V Basic Safety Messages (BSM) through Roadside Units (RSUs). iRoadSafe can even issue alerts through roadside CMS, to improve intersection safety and protect all road users such as vehicles, motorcycles, cyclists, and pedestrians.
Frank Bonafilia, Executive Director of Edison Awards™, considered that iRoadSafe has the potential to create a safer transportation experience for people living within cities. Meanwhile, he believes that through the technology, we can get valuable information beyond safety data and understand the trends of both how people are interacting from the transportation standpoint and the different way they are living their lives today.
“We’re thrilled that iRoadSafe has been recognized by the Edison Awards™,” said Dr. Tzi-Cker Chiueh, ITRI’s Vice President and General Director of Information and Communication Research Laboratories. “It is an innovation that addresses the emerging trends of smart transportation and will play a vital role in vehicular communication and furthermore in integrating with autonomous driving,” he stressed.
“iRoadSafe provides a safety solution to road users without V2X equipment and thus overcomes the market penetration challenge of OBUs,” said Dr. Tsun-Chieh Chiang, Division Director of ITRI’s Information and Communication Research Laboratories. “We will continue to refine its design based on user needs and market demands, making it applicable in more cities around the world,” he added. The ITRI team also visited Dr. Mohamad Talas, Deputy Director of Systems Engineering/Traffic Operations of NYC Department of Transportation, to exchange experience in implementing and improving V2X systems.
The DSRC equipment of iRoadSafe, IWCU, has been tested by the US Department of Transportation and selected to be on the research Qualified Products List (rQPL). iRoadSafe has been deployed in accident-prone sites in several cities in Taiwan, including a trial with a bus service and light rail transit system. The initial results have shown that it has a substantial impact on cutting down the accident rate. A video of iRoadSafe is available here: