The Transport Technology Forum is committing to take advantage of the private road network available at LCRIG’s Innovation Festival to carry out live connected vehicle demonstrations at next year’s event.
This year’s highly successful Festival, which took place earlier in the month at Newark Showground (pictured), saw TTF Manager Darren Capes chair several sessions while leading TTF adviser, the independent consultant and Rees Jeffreys Road Fund Trustee Andy Graham, discussed funding opportunities.
The TTF believes using the unique event will help to underline to Local Authorities how using vehicle-to-infrastructure technology can deliver much more efficient transport networks and showcase solutions such as GLOSA (Green Light Optimum Speed Advisory), in-vehicle signing and data capture.
“It was great to see such a diverse range of exhibitors and attendees and so much knowledge sharing going on, and the TTF is gearing up to take advantage of the opportunities the Innovation Festival offers next year,” explained Darren Capes. “I enjoyed seeing new developments in the asset and winter maintenance, where joining up different service delivery areas can save money and improve outcomes.
More than 60 different local highway authorities attended the inaugural Innovation Festival, with the not only the DfT but also National Highways, Welsh Government the Institute of Highway Engineers and other key bodies represented over the two days. Over 450 delegates and 59 exhibitors were there, enjoying outdoor demonstrations, presentations and panel sessions, while local authority members have committed to spending hundreds of thousands of pounds on innovation trials with exhibitors.
DfT colleagues from the Road Network Statistics and Local Infrastructure Divisions and the Centre for Connected and Autonomous Vehicles, (CCAV) were also there to hear about Local Authority plans, while new faces such as AESIN, the Automotive Electronic Systems Innovation Network, discussed connected vehicle data services.
Andy Graham added that this was a “great first event”, and “something the TTF looks forward to making the most of next year by using the large-scale play area to showcase all the great things its partners do.”
(Picture credit – LCRIG)
