Upping the standard for safe road operations and use
The 'Monitor integrated safety system' (MISS) project was set up to develop an innovative platform targeting the safety and efficiency of transport operations in a multi-environment scenario. This was to be achieved by providing the means to dynamically sense and predict natural and infrastructure conditions through an open dynamic road surveillance network, as well as by streamlining the tasks of road maintenance and law enforcement organisations. To realise the project goals, a number of innovative solutions were proposed. These included the establishment of a unified operative centre (UOC) enabling information sharing between road maintenance and fire brigade officers, mobile units capable of effectively exchanging data with the UOC, and a risk assessment system incorporating traffic flow models. The UOC, sharing technological and human resources, will improve vehicle safety and mobility by supporting and integrating the activities of different structures at a provincial level. This also translates to reduced management and structural costs. Fleet cars equipped with an innovative on-board kit including the MISS Storage and Communication Unit means infrastructure data and road events can be stored and sent to the UOC via a radio communication network. MISS platform functionalities include detection of infrastructure hazards, communicating data on detected hazards, recording short video and audio clips, producing reliable targeted information for different users, and sharing targeted information among various executive monitoring units. Overall, MISS project work advanced the concept of an integrated framework for sensing, collecting, processing, communicating and disseminating information on roadway hazards. Such a strategy has far-reaching potential for helping to avoid traffic congestion and enhancing end-users’ safety and security.
