Intersection Criticality Matrix for Traffic Safety
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current intelligent intersection systems lack effective methods to determine the criticality of traffic participants and identify potential collision situations, which limits the accuracy of broadcasting safety messages and providing timely warnings to vulnerable road users.
Innovation Solution
A matrix-based approach is used to calculate time-to-collision (TTC) values for each pair of traffic participants at an intersection, incorporating additional weighting factors such as participant type, location, and conflict zone heat maps to determine criticality values, enabling the broadcast of basic safety messages (BSM) and pedestrian safety messages (PSM) and subsequent warnings.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If sensor-based object detection is used at intelligent intersections, then collision protection between traffic participants is improved, but the ability to accurately identify potential collision situations and prioritize warnings remains insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The system changes parameters by calculating multiple factors including TTC (time to collision), conflict zone location, and vulnerability weights to dynamically determine criticality values. This transforms the basic detection capability into a prioritized warning system that accurately identifies which collision situations require immediate attention
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces simple sensor-based detection with an information processing system that uses I2X communication to exchange data between road-side units and vehicle on-board units. This substitution enables sophisticated criticality assessment through message broadcasting and centralized evaluation
2Device complexity
If basic sensor detection is deployed, then infrastructure complexity is reduced, but the system cannot provide targeted warnings based on traffic participant criticality
Solution Approach 1:
The road-side units and vehicle on-board units are designed with multi-functionality, serving both as sensors for detection and as communication nodes for information exchange. This universal design enables the system to provide targeted warnings without requiring separate specialized infrastructure
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces I2X communication as an intermediary mechanism that bridges the simple sensor detection capability with the complex warning generation requirement. Through standardized message formats and communication protocols, the system achieves targeted warning capability while maintaining relatively simple infrastructure
Data Source
AI summary
For each pair of traffic participants (TPs) entering an intersection, a time to collision (TTC) value is calculated. A matrix of TTC values between TPs entering the intersection is created. A matrix of criticality values containing a respective criticality value for each pair of TPs is created. Each criticality value is determined as a function of both TTC and at least one additional weighting factor. A basic safety message (BSM) and/or a pedestrian safety message (PSM) is broadcast on behalf of at least one traffic participant based on having determined the criticality for each pair of traffic participants and having identified a near-miss and/or a potential-collision situation between traffic participants based on the respective criticality values in the matrix of criticality values. One or more warnings are provided to a pedestrian, a driver of a vehicle, and/or a cyclist based on the broadcasted BSM and/or PSM.