Development and demonstration of a novel Red Light Running Warning System using connected v2i technology

Principal Investigator(s):

Michael Levin, Assistant Professor, Civil, Environmental and Geo-Engineering

Co-Investigators:

  • Zongxuan Sun, Professor, CCEFP Dir., Mechanical Engineering

Project summary:

Red-light violations at traffic signals are a major contributor to crashes and fatalities. Right-angle type crashes typically account for most of the serious crashes at traffic signals. However, most right-angle-type crashes are caused by red-light running. Many currently available vehicles include standard safety features like lane-departure warnings and brake assistance. With the emergence of connected vehicle technology, red light running warnings could also be valuable as a standard feature to warn drivers if they are about to run a red light. An appropriately timed warning could encourage drivers to brake before they enter the intersection unsafely. Warnings could also be given in multiple forms; a "yellow" warning could alert drivers that they need to start slowing down, whereas a "red" warning might indicate that drivers should apply hard braking. Additionally, a "red" warning status could be connected to the vehicle's braking system to provide automatic hard braking at the last moment if the driver fails to do so.

Project details:

  • Project number: 2023005
  • Start date: 12/2022
  • Project status: Active
  • Research area: Transportation Safety and Traffic Flow
  • Topics: Connected and automated vehicles