In a study released by the Virginia Transportation Research Council, SmartSensor Advance was evaluated along with other dilemma zone protection concepts and was found to be the best at protecting motorists from dilemma zone related accidents.
The purpose of the study was to evaluate different dilemma zone protection methods to highlight the strengths and weaknesses of each method. The study looked at multi-loop detection systems, green hold/termination systems, and Advance’s radar system. Each system was evaluated at a couple of real-world sites in addition to a new and unique simulation created for the study. The authors of the study also evaluated literature and research from the Virginia Department of Transportation regarding their experience with dilemma zone protection systems.
The results showed that, “green hold/termination systems and radar-based (Wavetronix) protection systems are superior to the multi-loop system, with the radar-based systems providing the most protection.”
Overall, utilizing SmartSensor Advance resulted in a “very large reduction” of red light runners. “The US220 site has a total reduction of about 78 [percent] in [red light runners], while the US460 site had a total reduction of 52 [percent] and 14 [percent] for eastbound and westbound traffic, respectively.”
The reason Advance performed better than other methods, according to the study, “is attributed to the capability of the radar-based system to monitor vehicle speeds continuously and act accordingly, whereas the green hold/termination system assumes constant vehicle speeds.”
Because Advance creates a real-time, dynamic estimated time of arrival for every vehicle approaching the intersection, variables in speed and distance are taken into account, providing unique dilemma zone protection for each vehicle, whereas other forms of detection assume all vehicles are traveling at the same, constant speed.