In a typical day, drivers will encounter perhaps dozens of intersections. But most drivers don’t give much thought to all of the planning and investment that goes into each intersection, or the effort that is made to make sure each intersection operates safely and efficiently. When things work well, drivers hardly notice the intersections they drive through each day; but if a commute does not go smoothly, or if a driver is forced to wait in traffic for any period of time, they can become stressed, frustrated and confused — even, at times, irresponsible.
Faced with intersection delays, drivers may plead for something to save them, and for an increasing number of transportation agencies, it is SmartSensor Matrix to the rescue! Armed with the power of Radar Vision, SmartSensor Matrix can solve a number of traffic problems, providing accurate and reliable stop bar detection for intersection control, count zones for analytics, and permitted/protected left turns. Matrix is also used in a number of diverse applications, including clearance protection, ramp metering, queue detection and parking lot management.
All of these applications are designed to help traffic engineers achieve their central goal – to provide smooth flowing traffic and ensure that drivers experience a safe, efficient commute. To accomplish this, traffic engineers rely on accurate data to inform them of real-time conditions; without accurate data, drivers and traffic engineers can be left feeling out of control.
At Wavetronix, the goal has always been to create products that give traffic engineers the data they need to be successful. With SmartSensor Matrix, transportation agencies throughout the United States are discovering the power to keep their traffic moving safely and efficiently, and traffic engineers are getting the data they need to stay in control of their intersections.
Most Matrix installations are central to the stop bar. The sensor accurately detects the true presence of vehicles in multiple lanes, and its real-time data allows traffic controllers to choose the optimum time to switch phases at actuated intersections. The sensor is non-intrusive, making it easy to install, configure and maintain.
“Matrix provides a reliable and flexible solution for detection at intersections,” says Steven Reeves, a Matrix product engineer at Wavetronix. “It accurately detects vehicles in conditions that cause problems for other detection technologies, and it requires no routine maintenance. When customers install Matrix, they often do not need to touch it again once it is configured because it just works.”
“[Matrix] accurately detects vehicles in conditions that cause problems for other detection technologies, and it requires no routine maintenance.”—Steven Reeves, Product Engineer at Wavetronix
Most drivers are familiar with the frustrations that can exist at intersections. Whether they are sitting at a red light, waiting for what feels like eternity before the light changes to green when there is no cross traffic; or getting stuck in congested traffic without enough green time to let a sufficient number of vehicles through the intersection, drivers know the stress that inefficient intersections can cause. In addition, intersection delays have been shown to contribute to increased pollution and wasted fuel.
It was just these kinds of traffic problems that SmartSensor Matrix was created to solve. For decades, stop bar detection had been done almost exclusively by loops, but frequent failures and the costs associated with replacing and repairing loops drove traffic engineers to consider non-intrusive alternatives. Many agencies tried video detection but discovered video had significant periods of blindness caused by changes in weather and light. Some radar detectors were tried, but existing devices were inadequate because most radar cannot detect stopped vehicles, an ability that is crucial at the intersection stop bar.
SmartSensor Matrix is the only multi-lane radar capable of providing true presence detection of moving and stopped vehicles, making it a valuable part of intersection control systems. Released in 2009, Matrix has proven itself to be an accurate and reliable replacement for video and loops.
“Matrix allows customers to have more flexibility than loops and it works better in more conditions than video,” says Randy St. John, the Wavetronix director of engineering research. “Matrix was designed specifically for stop bar presence detection, and the data it provides is helping traffic engineers improve traffic.”
The secret to SmartSensor Matrix’s power is Radar Vision, the sensor’s unique ability to create a two-dimensional image of an intersection approach. Matrix uses 16 separate, high-definition beams to create a 90-degree, 140-foot field of view; any vehicle that enters this detection area will be detected and tracked as it approaches the intersection. The beams simultaneously make angle and distance measurements to detected vehicles, and these measurements are used to create high-definition, two-dimensional images that allow the sensor to detect each vehicle, even if they stop moving.
Matrix relies on user-defined zones to determine what should be done with each detection. “A zone of any size can be placed anywhere in the field of view,” Steven Reeves says.
Like all SmartSensors, Matrix is easy to install and configure – most sensors can be installed and operational in less than an hour if cables have already been pulled. It features intuitive auto-configuration software, alignment tools and a variety of mounting options that make it one of the most flexible intersection detectors available. The non-intrusive Matrix does not require routine maintenance, and its long-term reliability reduces overall operation costs while providing industry-leading detection accuracy.
SmartSensor Matrix has successfully used its powerful Radar Vision to combat intersection congestion throughout the United States, and while it is most commonly used for stop bar detection, it can also improve road safety and efficiency in many other applications, including bicycle and queue detection. Following are examples of some of Matrix’s most unique congestion battles, and the heroic way Matrix has performed in its vehicle detection duties.
Keeping ahead of traffic is the challenge that faces all traffic engineers, and having effective tools like SmartSensor Matrix in their arsenal allows these transportation heroes to keep traffic moving safely and efficiently. Wavetronix engineers are proud of the positive effect that Matrix is having at busy intersections, and they look forward to using the technologies they are developing to help improve traffic for many years to come. Says Randy St. John, “The lessons learned from our development of the Matrix sensor will help us meet the needs of our customers well into the future.”
The Utah Department of Transportation has been a leader in intersection safety and efficiency, and the agency has been recognized as one of the most innovative in the country when it comes to adopting new technology. UDOT uses Matrix at intersections throughout Utah to detect vehicles for actuated signals; by creating long detection zones (approximately 65 feet beginning just a few feet from the stop bar), UDOT has been able to shorten their vehicle extension parameter by as much as two seconds, saving at least two seconds of delay per vehicle.
The City of Fredericton needed more efficient detection at its intersections, and officials wanted a device that would detect bicycles. They chose to install SmartSensor Matrix because it can simultaneously detect bicycles, cars and trucks. “An additional advantage of Matrix is its ability to reliably detect any vehicle,” Reeves says. “Loops can be reliable when detecting cars and trucks, but they are much less reliable detecting bicycles.” Now, bicyclists in Fredericton no longer have to wait for a larger vehicle to trigger a call for the light to change, thanks to Matrix.
Traffic engineers in New Haven installed Matrix to dynamically detect stopped traffic ahead of an updated traffic signal on Route 37. The approach includes a curved road that prevents oncoming drivers from seeing if traffic is stopped at the intersection; when Matrix detects stopped traffic, it triggers a flashing message sign that warns drivers in advance so that they have time to slow down and avoid a collision.
Matrix units installed on a toll road in Portage alert tollbooth operators if a queue is forming before the tollbooth. Operators can use the information to decide how to best manage the queue, including opening additional booths. Portage officials have found Matrix to be a cost-effective choice compared to loops because each sensor detects multiple lanes of traffic.
