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.

Now..

[ThisIsWhyImHot]

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.

Traffic as well

[bunburyist]

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

Re:About time.

[ushering05401]

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.

Re:Now..

[moderatorrater]

Unless, of course, you understand the meaning of the word "minimum."

Re:But where is the cost savings

[Anonymous Coward]

I guess there are several ways and I might be missing some but:
- Tourism: If people visiting a city fail to move the tourists, their experience is not good and will not recommend anyone to come back.
- Buses: If buses (In some parts a government service) are stuck in traffic, they will consume more gas.
- Taxes: If your company takes longer to deliver packages or receiving them, less amount of items are sold and therefore both the company and the government lose.
- Roads: If heavy trucks get stuck in traffic, the expected load of a pavement segment is worn, it will eventually have to be re-paved.
- Contamination plans: Measures of contamination due to traffic jams, cause in certain parts of the world economic penalties (without counting health problems) to the government.
- In general, productivity of the people is affected by several problems, including the time and the state of the roads while commuting. Therefore, a whole city can reduce its productivity by maintaining the citizens in bad mood. And most of the times bad mood is contagious, causing unnecessary stress.
- But in particular, I think is good for gas companies, so might as well can try to convince me traffic jams is just another way Oil companies profit.