Sick unveils Free Flow Profiler for scanning vehicles

Sick has launched a vehicle measurement system which it says enables accurate 3D profiling of vehicles across multiple lanes in free-flow traffic. The Free Flow Profiler is an all-weather system suitable for vehicle tolling and classification uses, especially in operations such as optimal weight loading of ferries or trains and for verifying vehicle dimensions to maximise revenue recovery, the company adds. During multi-lane, free road movement, Sick’s 2D Lidar sensors scan traffic and measure vehicle l
May 20, 2019 Read time: 2 mins

536 Sick has launched a vehicle measurement system which it says enables accurate 3D profiling of vehicles across multiple lanes in free-flow traffic.

The Free Flow Profiler is an all-weather system suitable for vehicle tolling and classification uses, especially in operations such as optimal weight loading of ferries or trains and for verifying vehicle dimensions to maximise revenue recovery, the company adds.

During multi-lane, free road movement, Sick’s 2D Lidar sensors scan traffic and measure vehicle length, width and height. The system can be enlarged to include multiple lanes or adapted with varying sensor layouts to obtain the required information for monitoring purposes.

According to Sick, the system has a range up to 40m and can profile all vehicle types from heavy road transport to passenger cars, towed vehicles and motorbikes.

Vehicle measurements are processed in the Sick Traffic Controller to produce a 3D model of each vehicle. The system captures vehicle dimensions, vehicle type, driving direction and lane assignment. Options to integrate vehicle classification, axle counting or detection of overheated vehicle parts can be added to meet specific local operator conditions and requirements.

Neil Sandhu, Sick’s UK product manager for imaging, measurement, ranging, says the solution is versatile “whenever accurate 3D vehicle profile is an advantage”.

“For example, warnings of over-height or over-sized vehicles approaching bridges or tunnels, or loading ferries so that the distribution of vehicles and weights is optimised,” he continues. “Up to 30 different automated vehicle classifications enable precise charging of toll fees.”

The system is expected to profile vehicle speeds up to 120km/hr and can be installed in new facilities, retrofitted and re-located. It can also be integrated with other traffic management monitoring systems such as optical character recognition, CCTV and security.

Urban Traffic Control

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Vitronic develops gantry-less free-flow tolling
    February 23, 2017
    German tolling and machine vision specialist Vitronic has developed a technology for free-flow toll collection and enforcement that uses an optical identification and classification method installed at the side of the road and does not rely on gantry infrastructure. For easy installation, the new system is integrated in Vitronic’s City Design housing, which contains the complete sensor array and processing technology including vehicle-to-infrastructure communication-based on EETS compatible DSRC or on R
    Read More
  • New ANPR solutions overcome variables
    May 18, 2018
    The sheer range of variables makes it difficult to find a single algorithm to ensure a 100% standard of ANPR. David Crawford investigates new processing technology. Automatic number plate recognition (ANPR), using optical character recognition and image-processing to identify vehicles, plays key roles in traffic monitoring and law enforcement, access and parking control, electronic toll collection, vehicle security and crime deterrence. Overall, system performance is well rated, with high levels of
    Read More
  • Need for standardisation of toll classes
    March 2, 2012
    In a previous article Bob Lees of Idris Technology Ltd looked at the appropriateness of toll classes in relation to all-electronic toll fee collection. Here, he looks at how addressing classification standardisation could avoid downstream aggravation and cost
    Read More
  • Kapsch outlines tolling options to combat traffic congestion
    January 11, 2017
    Michael Maitland from Kapsch TrafficCom looks at how the various forms of tolling can help authorities combat traffic congestion and air quality problems while simultaneously raising revenue.
    Read More

Highlighted Content