The VRUITS project: ITS applications for VRUs

Johan Scholliers, VTT

• ITS systems have facilitated the decrease of fatalities inthe EU.

• ITS development has mainly been vehicle-centric• VRU fatalities have not decreased in the same level as

other road users:• Fatalities among car occupants were reduced by 50%

between 2000 and 2012, whereas decreases were only 34% for pedestrians, 31% for cyclists and 17% for motorcyclists (IRTAD, 2014).

The VRU has to be an active, integrated element in the ITS, addressing safety, mobility and travel comfort of VRUs

Project Background

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1. Assess societal impacts of selected ITS, and providerecommendations for policy and industry regarding ITS in order toimprove the safety and mobility of VRUs;

2. Provide evidence‐based recommended practices on how VRU can beintegrated in Intelligent Transport Systems and on how HMI designscan be adapted to meet the needs of VRUs, and test theserecommendations in field trials

VRUITS Main Objectives

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Duration: 1.4.2013‐31.3.2016Consortium:

Associated Members:Ertico, ECF, FEMA, ACEM, Finnish Transport Agency, Rijkswaterstaat, , FinnishTransport Safety Agency, City of Helmond, City of Valladolid, Psychological UniversityBerlin, University of Maine, CERTH/HIT  

This project has received funding from the European Union’s Seventh Framework Programme for research, technological development and demonstration under grant agreement no 321586 5

Project Main Facts

• Data sources: CARE, national databases (UK,SE,SP,FI), in‐depth studies(SafetyNet, Pendant, MAIDS)

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Most critical scenarios

Pedestrians Cyclists & PTWs

Pedestrian crossing the road at mid‐block

At junctions:

Vehicle pulling out into the path of oncoming 

VRU

Vehicle turning into VRU’s path

ITS applications selected for assessment

VRU beacon system: VRU has tag thatbroadcast data. The vehicle driver is warnedabout potential collisionsPTW oncoming Vehicle Information SystemPTW riders and cars exchange messages andare warned of potential collisionsBicycle to vehicle communications: Cyclistsand cars exchange messages and are warnedof potential collisions

Co-operative systems assessed by VRUITS (1/2)

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Green wave for cyclists: Systemprovides speed advice to cyclists

Intersection safety: Road side unitdetects VRUs and warns road users

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Co-operative systems assessed by VRUITS (2/2)

Safety Results by VRU group, % reduction of all road fatalities, EU-28 (100% penetration)

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‐6% ‐5% ‐4% ‐3% ‐2% ‐1% 0%

VBS

PTW2V

PCDS+EBR

INS

IPT

IVB

GWC

CAL

B2V

BSD

BSD*

Pedestrians Cyclists Mopedists Motorcyclists

Blind Spot Detection

Bicycle‐to‐Vehicle

Crossing Adaptive Lighting

VRU Beacon System

Green Wave for Cyclists

Info. Bike VacancyIntelligent Pedestrian TrafficSignal

Pedestrian Detection+ Emergency Braking

Intersection Safety

PTW‐to‐Vehicle

CBA Resultsmedium scenario 2030

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Cost Efficiency

EffectivenessBenefit – Cost (BC) ratio

NPV of  Benefits3

 500 M€ PCDS+EBR, BSDVBS, IPT, 

PCDS+EBR*INS, PTW2V

Intersection Safety with CooperativeAEBVRU detects cyclists and PTWs and senddata to car; car assesses risk; warnsboth driver and sends message tocyclist, car brakes automatically. Cyclistis warned (haptic & visual)

VRUITS Trials: Helmond

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Alternatives for integration of VRUs in C-ITS

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Device

• Only transmitting (beacon)• Only receiving• Both transmitting and receiving• Not equipped

Integration

• Integrated in VRU vehicle• Tethered

• Sensors in VRU vehicle• Communication in smartphone

• Nomadic• Dedicated device• Smartphone app

VRU

• Pedestrian (Remote worker,…)• Wheelchairs….• Bicyclist (normal, e‐bike, high speed)• PTW (moped, motorcycle, L‐type vehicle)• Animals…

Functional architecture

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• Standardisation of communication technologies and interfaces• Taking into account VRU devices restrictions, as e.g. power

consumption, limited range, sensor accuracy• Work ongoing in TR 103 300

• Research on reliable low‐latency wireless communications based onITS‐G5 and cellular technologies (LTE/5G) for VRU applications

• Research and incentives for integration of C‐ITS in VRU vehicles• Research on integration of C‐ITS in smart phones• Adaptation of channels and congestion control rules for dense urban

scenarios• Research on improving location accuracy of VRU devices (

• Standardised procedures for assuring both the privacy of VRUs andthe security of the messages transmitted by the VRUs

• Start with local infrastructure related implementations which canreach a critical mass of VRU users

• Addition of VRU related elements in maps.• Promote Bluetooth LE, integrated in most smartphones, as tool for

improving mobility, especially of users with special needs• Support standardisation of Cooperative Observation Service• More research on use cases and road user behaviour of VRUs to

improve risk assessment

Recommendations regarding integration of VRUs (2/2)

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www.vruits.eu

Coordinator: Johan Scholliers, 

VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland,johan.scholliers@vtt.fi

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For more information