AIT is working with TU Wien (Vienna University of Technology) to develop an innovative measurement method for evaluating popular motorcycle routes
Vienna (AIT): For years, the number of fatal traffic accidents in Austria has been falling. While 686 people died in road accidents in 2007, 413 people were killed in accidents on Austria's roads in 2017. The number of fatalities from motorcycle accidents has also fallen, though not to the same extent - from 97 (2007) to 83 (2017). However, the first half of 2018 has shown a reverse in this trend - so far, significantly more motorcyclists have been killed this year than in 2017.
The probability of having an accident with a motorcycle is still much higher than with a car. Complex vehicle dynamics and driving physics result in driving mistakes, especially for inexperienced bikers. These errors then naturally have a more severe impact as the vehicle lacks any protective outer shell or crumple zone.
MoProVe: a high-tech bike for bicycle safety
In order to better understand the causes of motorbike accidents, the road safety experts at AIT Austrian Institute of Technology's Center for Mobility Systems worked alongside scientists from TU Wien's Institute of Mechanics and Mechatronics to develop the MoProVe (Motorcycle Probe Vehicle) as part of a research project. This is a KTM 1290 Super Adventure that has been approved for use on the road and was converted into a high-performance measuring vehicle with high-precision sensors and video systems, as well as side cases packed with technology that can record the exact condition of the motorbike every second. Test drives were then carried out along popular motorcycle routes to gather data about vehicle dynamics, trajectory and routing. Eventually, this data was augmented with external variables such as weather, traffic volume and route environment and then analysed using a machine learning method. The results show road sections that are particularly risky for motorcyclists.
Measuring safety objectively and avoiding accidents
Peter Saleh, road safety expert at the AIT Center for Mobility Systems, says: "We hope to make safety something that you can measure objectively. As part of proof of concept, we are comparing our results with the road accident statistics from recent years and it is becoming clear that we are on the right path towards calculating risks in advance." In other words - every road section that was classed as dangerous after being driven along and later analysed had indeed often been the site of serious accidents in the past. Thus, in turn, forecasts can be made for possible areas of danger in future.
The AIT/TU Wien research team is therefore in a position to anticipate future accident trends and can assess motorcycle safety on a scientific basis, even before anything has happened. Saleh: "We are taking a preventative approach and through this, we hope to make a significant contribution in particular towards preventing severe motorcycle accidents and to make motorcycling safer in general. Our aim is to give those who operate roads the precise information they need in order to reduce the danger in these areas efficiently, sustainably and cost-effectively. After all, every fatal motorbike accident is one too many!"
Further information:
www.ait.ac.at/en/moprove
www.mec.tuwien.ac.at/mechanik_und_mechatronik_e325/
AIT Austrian Institute of Technology
The AIT Austrian Institute of Technology is Austria's largest non-university research institute. With its eight Centers, AIT regards itself as a highly specialised research and development partner for industry. Its researchers focus on the key infrastructure issues of the future: Energy, Health & Bioresources, Digital Safety & Security, Vision, Automation & Control, Mobility Systems, Low-Emission Transport, Technology Experience and Innovation Systems & Policy. Throughout the whole of Austria - in particular at the main locations Wien Giefinggasse, Seibersdorf, Wiener Neustadt, Ranshofen and Leoben - around 1,300 employees carry out research on the development of those tools, technologies and solutions that will keep Austria's economy fit for the future in line with our motto "Tomorrow Today".
Center for Mobility Systems
Mobility is a fundamental core element of our society. At the Center for Mobility Systems, around 100 experts are developing holistic mobility solutions for the future based on the interrelation of passenger mobility, mobility of goods, and transport infrastructure. Efficiency, safety, ecological sustainability and the human factor are at the heart of the research and development efforts. Leveraging comprehensive system know-how, scientific excellence, market knowledge, and many years of international experience, AIT experts are using innovation to lead industry and society into the future of mobility.
Contact:
Florian Hainz BA Bakk
Marketing & Communications
Center for Mobility Systems
AIT Austrian Institute of Technology GmbH
florian.hainz@ait.ac.at | www.ait.ac.at
T +43 (0)50550-4518 | M +43 (0)664 88256021
Mag. Michael H. Hlava
Head of Corporate and Marketing Communications
AIT Austrian Institute of Technology GmbH
michael.h.hlava@ait.ac.at | www.ait.ac.at
T +43 (0)50550-4040