Innovation in Progress: DriveOhio takes the lead in intelligent transportation systems

The Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) is rolling out an automated queue detection warning system at 13 sites along the state’s major highways. Bosch cameras with edge-based AI will automatically detect queues at these sites and trigger digital message boards to display a warning message to upstream motorists – giving them extra time to slow down.

ODOT has created the state's first SmartLane, a nine-mile stretch of I-670 between downtown Columbus and the John Glenn Columbus International Airport. Thirty Bosch IP cameras, including DINION IP 7000 fixed cameras and ruggedized MIC IP pan-tilt-zoom cameras with built-in Intelligent Video Analytics detect anomalies on the road, such as stopped or slow vehicles. During peak congestion, traffic monitors can open a SmartLane – the eastbound shoulder – after performing a visual check using the MIC IP cameras to ensure it is free from debris or other hazards. Dynamic message signs communicate to drivers when the SmartLane is open and closed, display the reduced speed limit of 45 miles per hour when the lane is open, and update drivers about road conditions. The cost to develop the SmartLane is significantly less than the cost of building an additional lane to alleviate traffic congestion.

ODOT has deployed Bosch cameras with on-board video analytics tailored for ITS on multiple highway ramps in the state. When the AI-driven video analytics detects a vehicle traveling in the wrong direction, an alert is sent to ODOT’s traffic management center in real-time. Operators can view the alert and see live video of the vehicle within the Milestone XProtect video management software to track it and communicate its location to law enforcement. To trigger a wrong way driver notification, a vehicle must pass through multiple analytics detection points in the field of view of the Bosch camera to ensure accuracy and reduce false alarms.

The 33 Smart Mobility Corridor is a 35-mile stretch of U.S. 33 between Dublin and East Liberty through Marysville that will serve as a real-world proving ground for autonomous and connected vehicles. An interchange on the corridor is equipped with Bosch DINION IP 8000 thermal cameras and MIC IP cameras with built-in Video Analytics for automatic incident detection of a queue at the exit ramp, slow or stopped vehicles, objects in the road, or wrong-way drivers. Integration with MH Corbin technology for the highway information system enables events detected by the cameras to trigger messages about these incidents to be sent automatically to smart vehicles or to dynamic message signs to provide advanced notice to drivers entering the area. Plans include installing more Bosch IP cameras along the Smart Mobility Corridor once additional infrastructure – poles, power, cabling, and roadside units – are in place.

At three different intersections in the city of Marysville, DINION IP 8000 thermal cameras with built-in Video Analytics are detecting pedestrians in the road – at both crosswalks and as jaywalkers. Once detected, the cameras trigger MH Corbin technology to send messages to approaching smart vehicles via dedicated short-range communications (DSRC) to improve safety for the pedestrians. At the same time, the cameras transmit real-time GPS coordinate data of classified objects through the MH Corbin Roadside Controller to a live map display in an approaching vehicle's on-board unit, which shows aggregated information on traffic signal state and phase timing alongside vehicle and pedestrian movements in the area. An online dashboard provides DriveOhio staff with graphs depicting the number of cars, trucks, and pedestrians approaching and departing the intersections for easier data analysis.

At the central office location of the Ohio Department of Transportation in Columbus, 11 Bosch IP cameras with built-in Video Analytics are installed on and around the facility. The Video Analytics are configured for pedestrian detection, speed warnings, and more. Integration with MH Corbin technology triggers messages to smart vehicles driving around the facility. With both thermal and optical cameras installed, DriveOhio is testing the detection performance of the cameras for selecting the best model for future projects throughout the state.

A team of Ohio industry, academia, and community partners led by the Ohio Department of Transportation’s DriveOhio has been awarded a highly competitive federal grant to develop and deploy automated transportation solutions focused on Ohio’s rural roads and highways. As a result, the team is launching a four-year initiative to test the safe integration of automated driving systems into the nation’s on-road transportation system. Bosch will continue to be an important partner in this exciting initiative.