Hsinchu,
TAIWAN—
April 5, 2019—The Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI), Taiwan’s
largest applied research institution, won Silver in the Transportation &
Logistics category at 2019 Edison Awards™ with its
V2X system solution iRoadSafe. ITRI 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: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RQT-DAn1yVU.