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INTELLIGENT HIGHWAYS VICROADS


system works – and why it sometimes fails. That data is critically important to make better use of our existing transport infrastructure and inform the development of smarter new roads. Data we’ve gathered from


“With an extra 2000 vehicles on our roads each week, it’s crucial that we look to the future and continue to invest in new ITS”


smart technology placed under our freeways has shown us that the tendency of vehi- cles to weave from lane to lane signifi- cantly increases the chance of crashes and other traffic disruptions occurring. Research suggests we can minimise the disruptive affect lane-changing has on traffic flow by installing medians to physically separate fast lanes from slower lanes (where lane-changing is more frequent due to vehicles entering and exiting the freeway). Our unprecedented access to data is also


helping provide drivers with real-time informa- tion about road and traffic conditions. Real Time Informa- tion Signs are already in place on arterial roads approaching freeway entry ramps. These signs provide travel times and other freeway condition information, which enables motor- ists to make well-informed route decisions before entering the freeway. We are also currently testing a system that provides real-


time data about one our busiest freeways, the M80, directly to people’s smart phones prior to their trips. Such data could encourage people to begin their commute slightly later, or take an alternative route, to avoid congestion. Bluetooth monitoring technology already placed across


Melbourne will soon be able to provide real-time updates directly to vehicles as they travel. And another system being trialled will enable infrastructure, such as traffic signals, to communicate directly with vehicles – including trams and buses – to keep them running on time. As this technology continues to evolve, and as vehicles


CONNECTED AUSTRALIA SUPPLEMENT


develop more and more auton- omous features, our cars and transport infrastructure will increasingly ‘talk to each other’ to make our journeys smoother, safer and more efficient. Smarter roads and cars will also help us reach Victoria’s


ambitious target of reducing the number of deaths on our roads to below 200 by 2020 (and to reduce serious injuries by 15 per cent). Intelligent Speed Assist, passive alcohol sensors, a test for fatigue and tri- als of alco-gates to prevent drink-driv- ing are among our efforts to embrace safety technologies of the future. As well as making our roads safer, the rise of autonomous vehicles has the potential to markedly increase our road network capacity while also offering improved mobility to those who otherwise would be unable to operate a motor vehicle, includ-


ing children, the elderly, and people with a disability. VicRoads is determined to be a leader in the cars of the


future, so we’re facilitating a trial of connected vehicles with automated technology and safety features to help us inform its future development and adoption here. We know that having a reliable and effective transport sys-


tem is crucial to Victoria’s continuing success as one of the world’s most liveable and prosperous places. And meeting our population growth challenge will require fresh approaches to how and where we work, live and move around. But if we continue to embrace rapid advances in technol-


ogy, Victoria can face the future with great optimism by build- ing a highly integrated transport network with reliable, safer and smarter connections to one another.


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 Tom Langford is Communications and Media Advisor for VicRoads


www.vicroads.vic.gov.au 44 www.thinkinghighways.com


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