One of the USA’s leading manufacturers and suppliers of traffic and parking control products, Traffic and Parking Control Co. Inc. (TAPCO), has won an American Traffic Safety Services Association (ATSSA) Innovation Award for its Connected Vehicle Interface (CVI).
ATSSA chairman Juan Arvizu presented TAPCO’s manager of product management, Mike Long, with the Innovation Award for new products at the organization’s 2019 Annual Convention and Traffic Expo, which has been taking place in Tampa, Florida, this week (February 8-12).
One of the USA’s premier transportation conferences, the ATSSA convention is attended annually by thousands of traffic safety professionals. The Innovation Award competition was judged by a panel of public transportation officials who based their decision on a combination of factors: lifesaving qualities, degree of need, innovation and design, and adherence to the Highway Safety Improvement Program’s standards.
TAPCO’s award-winning CVI unit is an innovative enhancement option that increases traffic safety by integrating the company’s AC or solar-powered Intelligent Warning Systems (IWS) with connected vehicle-ready infrastructure. The CVI unit communicates with smart city roadside units (RSUs) to relay IWS data to connected vehicles via dedicated short-range communication (DSRC) or cellular 4G or new 5G networks.
Drivers receive instant in-vehicle alerts, such as the presence of a pedestrian in an approaching crosswalk, via mobile device, smart dashboard or smart rearview mirror. The CVI unit also integrates with local advanced traffic management systems (ATMS) to provide traffic managers with actionable reporting.
Best-known for its renowned line of LED-enhanced BlinkerSign solutions, TAPCO manufactures and distributes a wide portfolio of traffic and parking safety systems. The company’s IWS product range includes signage and other equipment that alerts drivers to: pedestrian crosswalks, wrong-way driving, dangerous curves, intersection ‘Stop’, speed limits, school zones, overheight vehicle restrictions, emergency vehicle locations, work zones, wildlife and railroad crossings, and dangerous weather or environmental conditions.
All of these warning systems can be integrated with the CVI to relay activation data and provide alerts to connected and autonomous vehicles (CAVs) through vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) technology.
“It’s always an honor to be recognized within our industry as a leading innovator,” said Jon Zick, director of engineering and marketing at TAPCO. “It’s an achievement that signals to our customers that we are committed to cutting-edge innovation and proves that industry leaders recognize the importance of advancing technology in connected vehicle and smart city infrastructure.”
The ATSSA’s director of new programs, Brian Watson, commented, “Roadway safety manufacturers are a critical component to saving lives on our nation’s roads. Winners of the Innovation Award are recognized for achieving outstanding advancements within the industry that we all hope will increase roadway safety and save lives.”
