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Software Speeds Response To Road Accidents
coondoggie alerts us to research out of Ohio State University that could help authorities respond to car accidents more quickly and ease traffic back-ups at lower cost, particularly in rural areas. The software improves the efficiency of communications from in-road vehicle detection loops to transportation engineers monitoring conditions in order to improve traffic flow. Faster response to accidents and traffic jams could have huge payoffs: a 2002 study estimated that traffic jams cost the average city almost a billion dollars a year.
If only there was some computer software that would stop people from slowing down and gawking at small fender bender, we'd have no more traffic jams.
The article talks about software/hardware combos being used to alleviate road traffic jams. I think this is a very interesting advancement in the use of our road infrastructure. Currently, where I live (Ottawa) there is a huge problem associated with road usage and a non-scalable transit system. Here there is exclusively busses used as public transit. When the busses are using common traffic roads, there is often a pileup of busses arriving at once or no busses at all when they're stuck in traffic. If we were somehow able to analyze traffic patterns in real-time it would probably be possible to divert or add additional bussing to busy routes and avoid congested areas, thereby alleviating the current situation where there is no possibility for rail or subway and our bus system can't get any bigger. D
True, we innovate. We also allow the innovators to strangle competition including those who would make incremental improvements to their designs.
Back on topic...
With the vast majority of major American cities possessing some of the shittiest public transit in the developed world, I see this innovative idea as yet another cash sink-hole that ignores the real problem. Whether or not you believe all the peak oil arguments, the fossil fuel environmental impact arguments, or whatever, it is pretty hard to argue that congestion and accidents in general could not be reduced by making real investments in quality public transportation.
I have lived in three of America's biggest cities for several years each and NYC was the only one with decent mass transit. True, the traffic there sucked, but a system like this will not have an impact on NYC streets. Further improvements to mass transit will.
The L.A. mass transit system was beyond inept. No where I else that I lived is even worth mentioning.
Regards.