A turbocharged mirror with a smart camera can prevent accidents

A motion-sensing camera of a convex mirror set up near a primary school in a Japanese city is connected to a system using machine intelligence. MI-based technology is able to detect trucks, cars and motorcycles approaching the scene, and as a result, illuminates the safety mirror, encouraging drivers to slow down or stop.

The two-week test plant, which is now running, is one of the first such initiatives in the island nation, the municipality said. They report that about 30 percent of local traffic accidents occur at intersections.

The motion detection camera monitors the south and east sides of the intersection. When a vehicle is approaching, the LEDs built into the mirror flash, but when it detects the approach of a vehicle from multiple directions at the same time, the lights inside the mirror start flashing in parallel, alerting road users.

The city will evaluate the impact of the technology at the end of the period and compare, among others, the speed of vehicles passing before and during the test period. The MI technology used in the camera was developed by the Japanese Oki Electric Industry, while the light-reflecting mirror was developed by Murakami, a manufacturer of rearview mirrors.

The mayor of the city, Shohei Kitamura, has promised that if the pilot period proves successful, the system will be gradually introduced in dangerous traffic hubs, especially around schools, iotzona.hu writes.

(Source: autokalauz.co.hu; iotzona.hu | Image: pixabay.com)