The Cubic Corporation’s Transportation Systems (CTS) business division has released a new version of its Gridsmart System that it acquired through the purchase of Tennessee-based traffic management equipment manufacturer Gridsmart in January last year.
Now available for download by CTS customers, version 19.10 of the Gridsmart System delivers safety features for all vulnerable road users without charging a premium. The latest upgrade deploys pedestrian and cyclist safety features in the base Gridsmart System, empowering all communities to protect vulnerable road users without additional fees.
Gridsmart is a complete omnidirectional-imaging, real-time computer vision product, comprising of hardware and software, that works with the traffic controller to actuate intersections for cars and bikes and to provide rich intersection performance data. Widely used globally, the Gridsmart System is the world’s only field-tested, single-camera system that gathers and interprets important traffic data.
Using the company’s iconic Bell Camera, the system allows traffic engineers to adjust signal timing and traffic flow strategies and enables real-time monitoring and visual assessment; Gridsmart uses its fisheye camera, along with real-time computer vision tracking and deep neural net classification, to track and discriminate bicyclists from other road users as they pass into and through intersections.
The system provides improved safety for cyclists while simultaneously improving intersection efficiency for multimodal traffic. Gridsmart introduced pedestrian zones several years ago, allowing cities to extend green time for slower pedestrians in the crosswalk.
In 2019, Gridsmart version 19.3 delivered an entirely new way to manage bicyclists at signalized intersections. The system tracks cyclists as they travel through the intersection, providing the correct amount of green time for individuals based on their chosen path and speed.
The Gridsmart System exists to improve safety and efficiency in intersections worldwide. Many streets are designed to accommodate drivers in cars, leaving pedestrians and cyclists vulnerable without dedicated bike lanes or proper signal times.
The Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) recently reported that in 2018, 857 cyclists and 6,283 pedestrians were killed in motor vehicle crashes; the largest number of pedestrian fatalities in the USA since 1990. Despite this increase, cities may not know there are cost-effective solutions to reduce unnecessary fatalities, with the new safety features in Gridsmart v19.10 designed to result in fewer accidents at intersections.
In a nod to continued security enhancements, the ability to access the Gridsmart Client from the device desktop has been disabled by default in v19.10, helping users better protect infrastructure and comply with evolving state laws. This feature may be enabled in the Device Manager.
Another new feature is channels-to-phases mapping for TS2 and ITS (ATC). The Phases view of the Device Manager will show the current Phases and Channel Groups. From this view, pre-configured Flashing Yellow Arrow (FYA) mode maps can be set on the Processor, allowing the FYA states to be recognised, logged in archived data, and displayed in the Client.
“Previously, both pedestrian zones and bikes-in-the-box were only available at an added cost, but our commitment to ‘Improve One Billion Lives Through Intelligence’ made us re-examine this premium,” said Jeff Price, vice president and general manager of Gridsmart at Cubic ITS. “Gridsmart is the chosen video detection system in 1,200 communities worldwide and we believe all communities deserve the right to protect their citizens, regardless of budget.”
