Cargo Business Newswire

Friday, December 20, 2013

Smart snowplow deployed in four states (Tedx Talk video)

This winter, four states are deploying hundreds of plows with custom-designed sensors that continually measure road and weather conditions, according to a government news release.

The new digital intelligence system, known as the Pikalert™ Enhanced Maintenance Decision Support System, was funded by the U.S. Department of Transportation and built by the National Center for Atmospheric Research and is designed to reduce accidents and save states millions in maintenance costs, the NCAR statement said.

"This offers the potential to transform winter driving safety," said NCAR scientist Sheldon Drobot, who oversees the design of the system. "It gives road crews an incredibly detailed, mile-by-mile view of road conditions. They can quickly identify the stretches where dangerous ice and snow are building up."

The system is being launched on major highways across Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, and Long Island, New York. If it passes key tests, NCAR said it would be transferred to private vendors and become available to more states by next winter.

The new system combines sensor measurements with satellite and radar observations and computer weather models, giving officials an unprecedented near-real time picture of road conditions, the statement said. With updates every five to fifteen minutes, EMDSS will enable transportation officials to swiftly home in on dangerous stretches even before deteriorating conditions cause accidents.

"We want to reduce that white-knuckle experience of suddenly skidding on ice," Drobot said.

To view Drobot's TEDx Talk on the new technology: youtube.com