Skip to main content

New ice warning system aids safety on Swedish highways

A new road sensor system is set to offer more accurate warnings for slippery surfaces. The TrackIce system, developed by Mowic, is to be installed by road maintenance contractor Peab along a 30 kilometre stretch of highway E4 between Stora Essingen and Södertälje in Sweden. According to Mowic, the TrackIce system is quick to install without the need for cables, enabling it to be installed in remote areas where no power is available. The TrackIce central unit can also handle information from other sensors su
February 5, 2013 Read time: 2 mins
A new road sensor system is set to offer more accurate warnings for slippery surfaces.

The TrackIce system, developed by 7134 Mowic, is to be installed by road maintenance contractor Peab along a 30 kilometre stretch of highway E4 between Stora Essingen and Södertälje in Sweden.

According to Mowic, the TrackIce system is quick to install without the need for cables, enabling it to be installed in remote areas where no power is available. The TrackIce central unit can also handle information from other sensors such as wind sensors and snow depth sensors. The weather data from the TrackIce system is then analysed and transmitted to the customer’s weather forecasting system, such as MeteoGroup´s Roadcast service which is used by many contractors.

“As the TrackIce equipment requires no power or data cables we were able to install the sensors exactly where we wanted to. The installation is easy and quick, we just drill a small hole for each sensor, ensures it is aligned with the road surface and mold it into place”, says Per Hallberg, operations manager at Peab district Western Södertörn.
TrackIce is currently in operation at several places in the Stockholm area, including Södertälje municipality where the system is placed in a sensitive location were icing occurs early.

“In Södertälje we have a known road section very prone to accidents. This is where we placed our TrackIce sensor. When the road surface is wet and we get a warning from the system, we know that in about two hours’ time, it is very likely there will be icy roads in the entire region. We will then begin anti-icing activities by spreading salt to prevent black ice, says Jan Johansson, Operations planning manager in Södertälje.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • EasyMile upgrades EZ10 to operate without on-board attendant
    June 10, 2019
    EasyMile has launched a version of its EZ10 driverless shuttle which does not require an on-board attendant at the Global Public Transport Summit 2019 in Stockholm, Sweden. EasyMile says the latest version of the shuttle is managed from a remote control centre where a supervisor monitors the autonomous vehicle via a real-time data stream and ensures communication with passengers. The shuttle’s sensor has been optimised for a more accurate vision even in challenging weather conditions, the company adds.
  • What's next for traffic management and data collection?
    January 26, 2012
    As the technologies and stakeholders in traffic management evolve, what can we expect to see happening in the coming years? For many, the conversation of the moment is just how, and how far, the newer technologies and services provided principally by the private sector should be allowed to intrude into the realms of traffic management.
  • C/AV integration is ‘legislative nightmare’, warns ITS UK president
    February 23, 2018
    The integration of connected and autonomous vehicles (C/AV) into existing road systems “is going to be a legislative nightmare”, warned a former UK government transport minister. Giving the keynote speech at this week’s MaaSMarket conference in London, ITS UK president Steven Norris, said: “Don’t underestimate the legislative challenges – which are infinitely more complex than the technical ones. I can’t think of any development in human history which has posed so many legislative questions.” Chief among
  • Are truck bans the wrong move in the battle for air quality
    June 29, 2016
    Low emission zones and heavy goods vehicles’ access to city centres may at first glance appear attractive but how effective are such controls? Jon Masters reviews emerging trends across Europe. Around 1,700 European cities have implemented low emission zones (LEZs) and in addition some have restricted city centre access for heavy goods vehicles (HGVs). Even those that restrict HGV access, such as Paris and Rome, allow exemptions at certain times and for particular classes of vehicle. But with what effect?