Many navigation apps offer the fastest route or even an eco-friendly route to your destination.
However, a research team from the University of British Columbia (UBC) has developed a new algorithm that promises to map the safest possible route with the lowest crash risk.
Led by Dr. Tarek Sayed, a professor in the UBC Department of Civil Engineering, and Ph.D. student Tarek Ghoul, the group has developed a novel approach that uses real-time crash risk data to identify the safest possible routes in an urban network.
This approach can be integrated into navigation apps such as Google Maps.
The team gathered data using 10 drones that monitored downtown Athens, Greece, over several days, recording factors like vehicle position, speed, and acceleration.
With this information, the team identified near-miss situations between vehicles and predicted crash risks in real-time.
Dr. Sayed said that this research is the first to utilize real-time crash risk data to offer navigation directions and provide the safest possible route through a city.
The algorithm can suggest detours in real-time to avoid hazardous locations, thereby enhancing road safety.
Interestingly, the study found that the fastest routes are not always the safest. In their analysis of a section of Athens’ urban road network, only 23% of the fastest routes were also considered the safest.
On average, the safest route involved 54% of the roads used by the fastest route, suggesting a need to balance safety and efficiency when selecting routes.
The researchers are looking to extend their work into other cities and even explore the potential of autonomous vehicle data.
The algorithm could also be utilized for bike routing to enhance the safety of vulnerable road users like cyclists and pedestrians.
Real-time crash risk data is vital for accurate crash risk estimation and road collision reduction.
With advanced modeling techniques, a safer route algorithm can be developed that doesn’t compromise efficiency while prioritizing safety.
As cities become more connected and data collection technologies advance, the new algorithm from UBC researchers opens up fresh possibilities for safe and efficient mobility.
This work, published in the journal Analytic Methods in Accident Research, can significantly contribute to enhancing road safety.
The study was published in Analytic Methods in Accident Research.
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