Impact of Road Marking Retroreflectivity on Machine Vision in Dry Conditions: On-Road Test

(1) Background: Due to its high safety potential, one of the most common ADAS technologies is the lane support system (LSS). The main purpose of LSS is to prevent road accidents caused by road departure or entrance in the lane of other vehicles. Such accidents are especially common on rural roads during nighttime. In order for LSS to function properly, road markings should be properly maintained and have an adequate level of visibility. During nighttime, the visibility of road markings is determined by their retroreflectivity. The aim of this study is to investigate how road markings’ retroreflectivity influences the detection quality and the view range of LSS. (2) Methods: An on-road investigation comprising measurements using Mobileye and a dynamic retroreflectometer was conducted on four rural roads in Croatia. (3) Results: The results show that, with the increase of markings’ retroreflection, the detection quality and the range of view of Mobileye increase. Additionally, it was determined that in “ideal” conditions, the minimal value of retroreflection for a minimum level 2 detection should be above 55 mcd/lx/m(2) and 88 mcd/lx/m(2) for the best detection quality (level 3). The results of this study are valuable to researchers, road authorities and policymakers

Road Infrastructure Challenges Faced by Automated Driving: A Review

Automated driving can no longer be referred to as hype or science fiction but rather a technology that has been gradually introduced to the market. The recent activities of regulatory bodies and the market penetration of automated driving systems (ADS) demonstrate that society is exhibiting increasing interest in this field and gradually accepting new methods of transport. Automated driving, however, does not depend solely on the advances of onboard sensor technology or artificial intelligence (AI). One of the essential factors in achieving trust and safety in automated driving is road infrastructure, which requires careful consideration. Historically, the development of road infrastructure has been guided by human perception, but today we are at a turning point at which this perspective is not sufficient. In this study, we review the limitations and advances made in the state of the art of automated driving technology with respect to road infrastructure in order to identify gaps that are essential for bridging the transition from human control to self-driving. The main findings of this study are grouped into the following five clusters, characterised according to challenges that must be faced in order to cope with future mobility: international harmonisation of traffic signs and road markings, revision of the maintenance of the road infrastructure, review of common design patterns, digitalisation of road networks, and interdisciplinarity. The main contribution of this study is the provision of a clear and concise overview of the interaction between road infrastructure and ADS as well as the support of international activities to define the requirements of road infrastructure for the successful deployment of ADS

Analisis Degradasi Performa Marka Jalan Thermoplastik Pada Jalan Tol

The program for maintenance and replacement of toll road surface markings aims at meeting the standards of performance set out in the Minimum Service Standards regarding for the substance of safety for road guidance indicators, which is road surface markings  for the safety and comfort of toll road users.   Good visibility of the road surface markings is necessary as it helps reducing the chance of traffic accidents. The problem encountered is a drastic decrease in the reflectivity level of road surface markings  in a short time. The study was conducted to determine the degradation of the value of road surface markings reflectivity during the service life of the maintenance methods on the routine and periodic markers. The research was conducted experimentally by making a mock up and testing the reflectivity at the existing location using a reflectometer on 2 test models. The results showed a reflectivity degradation was 43% in the marking method carried out directly over the old road surface markings  with an average reflectivity value of 401 mcd/m2/lux. This study concluded the road surface markings applied to the asphalt pavement. The thermoplastic material against the glass bead binds perfectly, while the road surface markings painted on the old road surface markings of the thermoplastic material against the glass bead do not bind properly so that the glass beads are easily detache

Roadway Marking Optics for Autonomous Vehicle Guidance and Other Machine Vision Applications

This work determines optimal planar geometric light source and optical imager configurations and electromagnetic wavelengths for maximizing the reflected signal intensity when using machine vision technology to image roadway markings with embedded spherical glass beads. It is found through a first set of experiments that roadway marking samples exhibiting little or no bead rolling effects are uniformly reflective with respect to the azimuthal angle of observation when measured for retroreflectivity within industry standard 30-meter geometry. A second set of experiments indicate that white roadway markings exhibit higher reflectivity throughout the visible spectrum than yellow roadway markings. A roadway marking optical model capable of being used to determine optimal geometric light source and optical imager configurations for maximizing the reflected signal intensities of roadway marking targets is constructed and simulated using optical engineering software. It is found through a third set of experiments that high signal intensities can be measured when the polar angles of the light source and optical imager along a plane normal to a roadway marking are equal, with the maximum signal intensity being measured when the polar angles of both the light source and optical imager are 90°

High performance pavement markings enhancing human, camera and lidar detection

Papers presented virtually at the 41st International Southern African Transport Conference on 10-13 July 2047A Safe System Approach is built on several complementary safety layers provided by the car, the road infrastructure and improved driver behavior, through education or enforcement. Historically road markings and traffic signs have focused on the driver impact by human detection and making the infrastructure better visible in all weather and traffic situations. More recently the adaptation of the road to machine vision has become very relevant due to the developments in advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) and autonomous vehicles (AV). Better road markings are required to improve the confidence of ADAS, and secondly to lay the base for higher levels of vehicle automation. The General Safety Regulation in the EU already mandates ADAS in new vehicle models. In 2024 all new registered vehicles need to be equipped with several ADAS, including Lane Keeping Assist (LKA) or Lane Departure Warning (LDW) systems. The human eyes and cameras are the sensors currently used have limitations in detecting road markings under certain conditions e.g., glare from sunlight or oncoming vehicles, rain, fog, low light nighttime conditions. All-weather performing (AW) tapes contain the latest developed high optics road markings, made of a mix of higher refractive index (R.I. mix 1,9 and 2,4) beads to provide reflectivity both in dry and wet condition when compared to the conventional (traditional) paint road markings with the optics of R.I 1,5 to 1,7 that perform mainly under dry conditions. This paper covers how better or improved road markings can influence both human and machine vision, with focus on camera and Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) sensors. It has been determined that high performance (RI>1,7) road markings help to increase the level of detection by both camera and LiDAR sensors, as well as human eyes. Particularly an All-Weather performing road marking tape was detected from significantly longer distances in wet and rainy conditions compared to traditional markings

Toolbox of Countermeasures for Rural Two-Lane Curves, June 2012

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) estimates that 58 percent of roadway fatalities are lane departures, while 40 percent of fatalities are single-vehicle run-off-road (SVROR) crashes. Addressing lane-departure crashes is therefore a priority for national, state, and local roadway agencies. Horizontal curves are of particular interest because they have been correlated with increased crash occurrence. This toolbox was developed to assist agencies address crashes at rural curves. The main objective of this toolbox is to summarize the effectiveness of various known curve countermeasures. While education, enforcement, and policy countermeasures should also be considered, they were not included given the toolbox focuses on roadway-based countermeasures. Furthermore, the toolbox is geared toward rural two-lane curves. The research team identified countermeasures based on their own research, through a survey of the literature, and through discussions with other professionals. Coverage of curve countermeasures in this toolbox is not necessarily comprehensive. For each countermeasure covered, this toolbox includes the following information: description, application, effectiveness, advantages, and disadvantages

Strategic and Tactical Guidance for the Connected and Autonomous Vehicle Future

Autonomous vehicle (AV) and Connected vehicle (CV) technologies are rapidly maturing and the timeline for their wider deployment is currently uncertain. These technologies are expected to have a number of significant societal benefits: traffic safety, improved mobility, improved road efficiency, reduced cost of congestion, reduced energy use, and reduced fuel emissions. State and local transportation agencies need to understand what this means for them and what they need to do now and in the next few years to prepare for the AV/CV future. In this context, the objectives of this research are as follows: Synthesize the existing state of practice and how other state agencies are addressing the pending transition to AV/CV environment Estimate the impacts of AV/CV environment within the context of (a) traffic operations—impact of headway distribution and traffic signal coordination; (b) traffic control devices; (c) roadway safety in terms of intersection crashes Provide a strategic roadmap for INDOT in preparing for and responding to potential issues This research is divided into two parts. The first part is a synthesis study of existing state of practice in the AV/CV context by conducting an extensive literature review and interviews with other transportation agencies. Based on this, we develop a roadmap for INDOT and similar agencies clearly delineating how they should invest in AV/CV technologies in the short, medium, and long term. The second part assesses the impacts of AV/CVs on mobility and safety via modeling in microsimulation software Vissim

Toolbox of Countermeasures for Rural Two-Lane Curves [updated], TR-579, October 2013

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) estimates that 58 percent of roadway fatalities are lane departures, while 40 percent of fatalities are single-vehicle run-off-road (SVROR) crashes. Addressing lane-departure crashes is therefore a priority for national, state, and local roadway agencies. Horizontal curves are of particular interest because they have been correlated with increased crash occurrence. This toolbox was developed to assist agencies address crashes at rural curves. The main objective of this toolbox is to summarize the effectiveness of various known curve countermeasures. While education, enforcement, and policy countermeasures should also be considered, they were not included given the toolbox focuses on roadway-based countermeasures. Furthermore, the toolbox is geared toward rural two-lane curves. The research team identified countermeasures based on their own research, through a survey of the literature, and through discussions with other professionals. Coverage of curve countermeasures in this toolbox is not necessarily comprehensive. For each countermeasure covered, this toolbox includes the following information: description, application, effectiveness, advantages, and disadvantages

Toolbox of Countermeasures for Rural Two-Lane Curves

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) estimates that 58 percent of roadway fatalities are lane departures, while 40 percent of fatalities are single-vehicle run-off-road (SVROR) crashes. Addressing lane-departure crashes is therefore a priority for national, state, and local roadway agencies. Horizontal curves are of particular interest because they have been correlated with increased crash occurrence. This toolbox was developed to assist agencies address crashes at rural curves. The main objective of this toolbox is to summarize the effectiveness of various known curve countermeasures. While education, enforcement, and policy countermeasures should also be considered, they were not included given the toolbox focuses on roadway-based countermeasures. Furthermore, the toolbox is geared toward rural two-lane curves. The research team identified countermeasures based on their own research, through a survey of the literature, and through discussions with other professionals. Coverage of curve countermeasures in this toolbox is not necessarily comprehensive. For each countermeasure covered, this toolbox includes the following information: description, application, effectiveness, advantages, and disadvantages. Countermeasures covered are as follows: speed signs, chevrons, widening/adding paved shoulders, reflective barriers, high-friction treatments, raised pavement markers, edge lines, transverse pavement markings, vertical delineation, rumble strips, rumble stripes, on-pavement curve signing, flashing beacons, dynamic curve warning systems, and pavement inset lights