Canada tests animal detectors

In an effort to reduce collisions caused by deer, moose, elk and caribou in Ontario, the highway ministry’s eastern region is now testing sophisticated motion-detection systems that flash a warning to motorists only when animals are on or near the highway.
November 5, 2013 Read time: 2 mins
In an effort to reduce collisions caused by deer, moose, elk and caribou in Ontario, the highway ministry’s eastern region is now testing sophisticated motion-detection systems that flash a warning to motorists only when animals are on or near the highway.

Two new test systems developed by Rotalec, use solar-powered perimeter radars to track all movement and the speed of every passing vehicle on the highway. Software analyses the size and speed of objects captured by the radar to separate man and automobile from beast.  Small mammals like squirrels and raccoons, however, are still on their own. The system cannot track their crossings.

While political sensitivity in Ontario about photo radar means that the data cannot be used for speed enforcement, Mr. Dickson said that the speed data showed that motorists were changing their ways.

“The alarm is tripping regularly, and we are starting to see speeds coming down,” said Blake Dickson, vice president of sales and marketing at Rotalec.

David Brake, a traffic project specialist with Ontario’s Ministry of Transportation, said speeds had fallen 15 per cent, on average, when the lights were flashing.
Detection, Monitoring & Machine Vision Classification & Data Collection

Related Content

  • Vancouver's metro transport promotes alternatives to driving
    January 26, 2012
    David Crawford looks at Vancouver and the legacy of a Olympic transport success
    Read More
  • Vehicle manufacturers and local authorities seek satnav solutions
    December 5, 2013
    The increasing capability of satellite navigation is helping vehicle manufacturers and local authorities as well as individual drivers and fleets. In comparison to the physical ITS infrastructure in towns and cities and on motorways and highways, satellite navigation (satnav) systems have come a long way in a short time. Many (if not the majority) individual drivers and fleets use or have access to a satnav and now the vehicle manufacturers and even local authorities are beginning to utilise satnav derived
    Read More
  • Autonomous truck platooning moves up a gear with NXP and DAF Trucks
    November 25, 2016
    NXP Semiconductors is setting the pace in truck platooning with full-size commercial vehicles that can run at 80kmph only 11 metres apart, offering up to 11 per cent in fuel savings. The Dutch technology company believes that “there’s no better place than truck platooning to demonstrate the merits of autonomous driving.” Its research team has been working with DAF Trucks to develop leading edge technology that can make driving decisions ‘30 times faster than human reaction time’. NXP says that adapt
    Read More
  • Big wheels keep on turnin’
    August 21, 2018
    Many of the great and the good in the global mobility sector gathered at this year’s Movin’ On event in Montreal. Measured regulation of technologies and safety issues were major themes, reports David Arminas. *Bibendum is the original name for the Michelin Man, the symbol of the Michelin tyre company Autonomous vehicles, platooning, smart intersections and safety – these were the talking points over two-and-a-half days of the Movin’ On event in Montreal, Canada. Everyone in the mobility sector is at the
    Read More

Highlighted Content