Live pilot in Georgia smart city highlights groundbreaking advancements in pedestrian safety and roadway technology
PEACHTREE CORNERS, Ga., Feb. 5, 2025 -- Peachtree Corners – one of the nation's first smart cities powered by real-world connected infrastructure and 5G – have announced a collaboration for a pilot project with ConnVAS, an innovator in advanced traffic and pedestrian safety solutions. The pilot launched outside of Pinckneyville Middle School, addresses the safety challenges of busy crosswalks by testing how real-time AI-driven detection and alerts can reduce accidents and create a safer environment for pedestrians, cyclists and drivers by activating alerts, even when pedestrians do not activate crosswalk signals.
The pilot utilizes ConnVAS's MAGIC AI-driven edge computing system, which incorporates cameras mounted on RRFB poles (Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacon) to monitor pedestrian and vehicle movement, V2X transceivers for real-time vehicle-to-infrastructure communication and an integrated audio-visual alert system. When the system detects a pedestrian or cyclist using the crosswalk, crossing outside of the crosswalk lines or a vehicle approaching the crosswalk, each of its technologies work together in real time to immediately activate alerts to both the users of the crosswalk and incoming drivers, even if the VRU did not activate the crosswalk alert. The system continually collects anonymous data such as felonies, near-misses, and pedestrian and vehicle counts for ongoing analysis of crosswalk usage and traffic.
"Peachtree Corners is dedicated to implementing technology solutions that address real-world safety challenges for our residents," said Brandon Branham, Executive Director of Curiosity Lab. "The ConnVAS system provides an innovative solution to common safety hazards such as pedestrians crossing outside of designated areas, failure to press crosswalk buttons and drivers failing to detect pedestrians or cyclists in time. By integrating advanced AI detection and real-time alerts, this ConnVAS pilot enhances safety in an area where our residents need it the most today, while also generating actionable insights that can guide our development of smarter, more responsive infrastructure in the future. We are excited to be continuing the pilot program to continue to gain insights in how we can improve our city for our residents."
Preliminary results from the pilot program that were extracted from a midweek 72-hour period, show distinct patterns that can better help City Managers ensure roadways are safe and efficient for VRUs and drivers. At the pilot location, ConnVAS reported over 220 pedestrian crossings for more than 70 crossing events, with only three false alarms. The system consistently and successfully activated flashing beacons and audio alerts in real time, ensuring those crossing the road and oncoming drivers were promptly warned. Additionally, traffic data collected by the system, including felonies, near-misses and counts of pedestrians, cyclists and vehicles, is being used to evaluate the technology's impact and will aid City officials to make informed decisions about improving road safety and urban planning in specific locations.
"The pilot we are conducting at Peachtree Corners has been instrumental in refining our technology and demonstrating its impact in a real-world environment," said Danny Frydman, Founder and CEO of ConnVAS. "Through continuous testing and data analysis, we've been able to improve the accuracy of our system's AI detection, ensuring faster and more reliable activation of alerts. This has directly enhanced the safety of the area by addressing critical challenges including missed warnings for pedestrians and cyclists or delayed driver awareness. The insights gained from this pilot are helping us evolve the software to adapt to complex traffic scenarios and create safer, smarter intersections everywhere. We hope to scale this solution throughout the city as the pilot and technology continues to develop."
The ConnVAS pilot in Peachtree Corners is continuing to evaluate various features including autonomous operation features that eliminates the need for manual button presses and reduce false alarms, cyclist-friendly designs and V2X connectivity to communicate with connected vehicles to alert drivers of crosswalk activity. Additional capabilities such as dynamic illumination based on pedestrian location are being explored to further enhance VRU safety.
For more information or to schedule an interview with ConnVAS, Curiosity Lab or City of Peachtree Corners executives, please contact Peachtree@GoDRIVEN360.com.
About ConnVAS
ConnVAS is an innovator in advanced traffic and pedestrian safety solutions. At the core of ConnVAS solutions is the ConnVAS MAGIC (Multi Access Generic Infrastructure Controller) - an AI driven edge computing traffic detector. The MAGIC stands at the heart of ConnVAS enhanced RRFB, intelligent signalized intersection and traffic analytics solutions. Providing edge computing solutions that include AI detection, V2X communication and diverse interfaces, ConnVAS enhances the safety and efficiency of the transportation environment. http://www.connvas.com.
About the City of Peachtree Corners, Georgia
As the heart of what is being called #SiliconOrchard in the metro-Atlanta region, Peachtree Corners is a vibrant municipality that's home to more than 45,000 residents, 45,000 jobs and an innovation hub that houses some of the world's most disruptive technology companies. As the United States' premier smart city powered by real-world connected infrastructure and 5G, Peachtree Corners serves as the model for how government and private industry can better collaborate to create a better future for society and business. From the world's first deployment of teleoperated e-scooters to fully autonomous shuttles being utilized by actual residents, and from a solar roadway to the largest electric vehicle fast-charging hub in the region, Peachtree Corners is where the most future-forward Internet of Things (IoT) and sustainable technologies come to life for the benefit of its citizens, and the world. For more information, visit http://www.peachtreecornersga.gov.
About Curiosity Lab at Peachtree Corners
Curiosity Lab is a 5G-enabled intelligent mobility and smart city living laboratory located in the southeastern United States near Atlanta, Georgia. Designed as a proving ground for IoT, mobility and smart city emerging technologies, the centerpiece of the lab is a three-mile autonomous vehicle lane leveraging cellular vehicle-to-everything (C-V2X) technologies. Additional infrastructure includes intelligent traffic cameras and traffic signals, smart streetlights, the country's first "IoT Central Control Room" implemented in a city and a 25,000 square foot technology incubator. Owned and operated by the City of Peachtree Corners, Curiosity Lab is one of North America's only real-world testing environments and is available for use free of charge. Additional information can be found at www.curiositylabptc.com.
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