Wisconsin-based Traffic & Parking Control Co (Tapco), a manufacturer, distributor and service provider of roadway safety innovations, has updated its wrong-way alert system using AI technology from Bosch.

German company Bosch supplies AI-driven video-as-a-sensor technology tailored to ITS applications.

Through this partnership, the wrong-way alert systems have been updated with Bosch’s ITS cameras, featuring edge-enabled video analytics for roadway incident detection.

“Wrong-way driving collisions aren’t the most frequent, but these collisions are often fatal, so we have made it a focus to constantly push the boundaries of technology used in our wrong-way alert systems to help stem the tide of these events,” said Tapco vice president Morgan Marks.

For the past fifteen years, Tapco has deployed wrong-way alert systems (www.tapconet.com/product/wrong-way-alert-system), developing credibility in the ITS space. Previous generation systems have relied on thermal technology but, with the Bosch partnership, wrong-way vehicle detection can be more flexible, efficient and accurate.

The cameras deliver high-level accuracy, while ignoring disturbances caused by headlights, extreme weather, sun glare or vibration. These disturbances are nearly eliminated to provide the high precision detection that is necessary for ITS safety applications, such as alerting drivers of vehicles travelling against the flow of traffic. The analytics processing is at the edge, in the camera, with no central server required, providing reliability and low latency for detection alerts.

“When a wrong way driving event is detected, immediate action is needed to stop the driver and avoid accidents,” said Lewis Stallworth, business development manager at Bosch. “The instant detection provided by Bosch cameras enables fast and accurate responses to these incidents to enhance safety for roadway users.”

The integration of Bosch intelligent ITS cameras provides real-time triggers to activate the wrong-way alert systems when a vehicle travelling in the wrong direction is detected. Engineered to fit any ramp configuration, the systems flash warning alerts to capture the wrong-way driver’s attention and encourage self-correction. These flashing alerts can be LED-enhanced BlinkerSigns, beacons or LegendViz internally-illuminated signs. If the driver does not self-correct and continues down the ramp, a second layer of alert communications can be triggered via Tapco’s BlinkLink smart city software platform.

BlinkLink can capture images and video of each wrong-way event and provides the functionality to stream live video on the ramp. It can send real-time wrong-way event notifications, including image capture, to a traffic management centre and/or enforcement agencies via cellular modem or fibre networks. The system can also be configured to trigger overhead message boards or send in-vehicle alerts to connected vehicles, warning right-way drivers of the danger ahead.

Since 1956, Tapco (www.tapconet.com) has been saving lives by setting the standard for delivering reliable, traffic safety enhancements.

The Bosch Building Technologies division (www.boschbuildingtechnologies.com) is a supplier of security, safety and communications products and systems. In selected countries, Bosch offers services for building security, energy efficiency and building automation. About 10,900 employees generated sales of €2.6bn euros in 2023.