It’s being claimed the problem of faded road markings is affecting the safety systems of millions of motorists’ cars.
The Times reports that the problem of faded road markings is already affecting the safety systems of millions of motorists’ cars, with the country’s ambition to lead the world in automated cars being hindered by the poor state of the white lines on half of the country’s roads.
It says the problem is already affecting an estimated 4.4 million motorists driving new cars with safety systems intended to nudge them if they drift into another lane or into oncoming traffic on the wrong side of the road and that motor manufacturers are “pouring billions of pounds” into the technology intended to reduce human error, which is blamed for about 85% of road collisions resulting in injury.
Matthew Avery, director of research at Thatcham, the UK vehicle safety testing organisation, is quoted by the Times as saying, “If those white lines are not there, your safety system is not going to work. Half the time, they can’t work because they can’t read the road.”
RSMA CEO Stu McInroy said: “Higher levels of autonomy rely heavily on high quality road markings to allow the vehicle to ‘read the road’. Government and road authorities must understand the importance of ensuring the basic infrastructure exists to support this advanced and highly capable technology.
“Professionally applied and maintained road markings are the pivotal element that shall determine the success or failure of the transition towards autonomous operations.”
(Picture – Yay Images)
