PMSS Project Details

Project ID:	FHWA-PROJ-09-0065
Project Name:	Motorcycle Detection, Classification, and Characterization (081-FH4)
Status:	Completed
Contact:	Last Name: Gibson First Name: David P Telephone: 202-493-3271 E-mail: david.gibson@dot.gov
Organization:	Federal Highway Administration - Turner-Fairbank Highway Research Center (TFHRC)
Office:	Office of Operations Research and Development
Team:	Trans Enabling Technologies Team
Roadmap/Focus area(s):	Not Applicable
Project Description:	Traffic sensors for detection of motorcycles approaching signals have not been sufficiently robust. False negatives indicating the absence of motorcycles when motorcycles are present can induce motorcyclists to run the red indication, creating a potentially hazardous situation. This project will extend the capabilities of vision-based motorcycle sensors by adding a stereo vision component; note that the policy office is also interested in this project because it is currently difficult to characterize vehicle miles of travel for motorcycles due to the lack of sensors, which accurately count and classify motorcycles as separate vehicles. This project hopes to accomplish the following: (1) Verify whether stereo vision and sound emission measurement performs well for motorcycle detection.(2) Identify critical gaps regarding the collection and processing of stereo vision data, and what hardware techniques or algorithms might be used to add to the stereo motorcycle detection techniques to add robustness to the classification and separate motorcycles from bicycles and mopeds.(3) Conduct laboratory and field tests of improved hardware and algorithms.
Laboratories:	Not Applicable
Start Date:	October 11, 2009
End Date:	October 11, 2012
Funding Amount:	$750,000.00
FHWA Program Name:	Small Business Innovation Program (SBIR) (2% of Adjusted CA)
Goals:	The key project objective is to detect motorcycles with advanced sensors.
Project Type:	Offsite
Background Information:	Final Report Received 12/20/2012. Based on final report a follow up Phase IIb project was recommended. The proposal has been received from Volpe and is in evaluation.
Test Methodology:	Data not yet available
Other Information:	Data not yet available
Partners:	U.S. Department of Transportation: Research and Innovative Technology Administration (RITA); Role(s): Other stakeholder
More Information URL(s):
Fieldtest:	Data not yet available
Expected Benefits:	Motorcycles will reliably obtain green signal indications at signalized intersections. Motorcycle miles of travel will be more accurately estimated.
Deliverables:	Data not yet available
Related URL(s):
Project Findings:	An advanced sensor can reliably detect motorcycles.
FHWA Topics:	Safety--Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety
TRT Terms:	Motorcycles Sensors Vehicle Miles of Travel Traffic Highway Traffic Control Research Operations
FHWA Disciplines:	Operations Safety
Subject Areas:	Operations and Traffic Management Pedestrians and Bicyclists Policy Research