Innovative technology

Manoj Bisht
MBA, Infrastructure

INNOVATIVE
TECHNOLOGY
BikeScout for bycycle
Alternative transportation refers to methods of transportation outside of the traditional automobile,
usually specifically referring to methods that create fewer emissions. Examples include bicycles and
high-occupancy modes of transport like buses, trains and carpools. Hybrid vehicles may also be
included in this category, because while they do use some gasoline, their main purpose is to emit
fewer greenhouse gases than traditional cars. The production of greenhouse gases, or pollution,
contributes to climate change. Environmentalists advocate alternative transportation because it
helps to dramatically reduce the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, and thereby slow
climate change.
Noted environmental activist Sunita Narain was cycling on Delhi's streets on a calm Sunday morning
from her residence to Lodhi Road when she was struck from behind by a speeding car near the
AIIMS flyover.
Conscious, despite a broken nose and arms, the environmentalist managed to get a lift from another
vehicle which took her to AIIMS. After eight hours of surgery and having titanium plates inserted in
her hands, she had one thing to say,"Cyclists in Indian cities are being edged out systematically to
make way for cars."

Cyclists and pedestrians account for more than half of all road fatalities in the country, but they draw
public disdain and policy hostility, a study by the University of Michigan and the Indian Institute of
Technology, Delhi, has observed.

The study also indicates that the number of people killed in road accidents in India have increased at
eight per cent annually in the past decade nearly the rate at which car sales have grown.
Each year about 50 percent of motor vehicle crash deaths are bicyclists. In a majority of bicyclist
deaths, the most serious injuries are to the head, highlighting the importance of wearing a bicycle
helmet. Helmet use has been estimated to reduce head injury risk by 85 percent.
A pilot has been initiated near the Meerenakkerweg-Kasteellaan roundabout to further improve
cyclist traffic safety. Under contract to the Municipality of Eindhoven, the BikeScout innovation
developed by Heijmans will be commissioned at the bicycle crossing. BikeScout is a detection

system that warns drivers at crossings about approaching cyclists. Eindhoven is the first Dutch city
to install the BikeScout system. The innovative character of the pilot is perfectly consistent with the
development of Eindhoven as a Smart City.
Ratcheting up yet another bike safety victory, the Netherlands has pioneered new technology that
will alert drivers to oncoming cyclists via flashing LED lights embedded in the roads. Cyclists are not
always easily visible and their speed is difficult to estimate. This sometimes takes drivers by surprise

Designed by the Dutch company Heijmans, BikeScout was installed in March in Eindhovens

notoriously congested Meerenakkerweg-Kasteellaan roundabout. With the popularity of cycling only

increasingboth in Eindhoven and in cities across the worldBikeScout is a step toward integrating
rider safety and road infrastructure. And its one that is particularly suited to Eindhoven, which has
been working to position itself as an innovator in smart lighting solutions for cities.

The way BikeScout works is simple. Radar trackers positioned along the road for the 50 meters
leading up to the intersection measure the changing positions of cyclists and pedestrians, as well as

cars. The trackers analyze the data continuously, estimating speed and time of arrival at the
crossing. If theres a risk of collision, on the basis of cycling speed and distance calculates, a
cyclist's time of arrival at an intersection and warns drivers (LED lights lining the intersection will
flash), warning cars to stop.
The Heijmans BikeScout makes use of innovative detection technology that is already being used in
cars to warn drivers about the proximity of other road users. The detection system continuously
measures and analyses the changing position of individual road users up to 50 metres in advance.
By making this technology available for use in infrastructure, such as roads and bicycle paths, new
opportunities are created to enhance traffic safety.

BikeScout is on the expensive side: installing the system in Eindhoven cost about $43,000 (28 lacks
), and upkeep will be another $1,100 (0.7 lacks ) each year, local traffic control can monitor the
effects of BikeScout through an app, and the technology collects and stores data from the
intersection, making it a useful tool for cities to consult when developing future infrastructure
projects.But BikeScout will likely have an even greater impact in countries less used to sharing the
road with cyclists than the Netherlands.
India's growing economy and population foster motorization, bringing with it congestion, pollution
and road traffic crashes. Bicycles are environmentally friendly, function as feeder for public transport,
and still have a share of between 15-35% of total trips in India. However, many cyclists may not be
cyclists by choice. Rather they are captives, unable to buy a motor vehicle but as their income
increases they may aim to shift to a car or motorcycle to reduce their exposure to road safety risks or
increase their travel range. Cyclist-friendly strategies to improve cycling safety (and hence
encourage cycling) could be part of a policy to counter the vicious circle of motorization. This
technology may be used in our cities to encourage safe cycling as efficient means of smart mobility.