Initiatives Launched under InTranSE-II

• 13 Apr 2022

For Prelims: Onboard Driver Assistance and Warning System (ODAWS), Bus Signal Priority System and Common SMart IoT (Internet of Things) Connectiv (CoSMiC) software.

For Mains: Intelligent Transport System, Initiatives to control road accidents.

Why in News?

Recently, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has launched an indigenous Onboard Driver Assistance and Warning System (ODAWS), Bus Signal Priority System and Common SMart IoT (Internet of Things) Connectivity (CoSMiC) software.

• It has been launched under Intelligent Transportation System Endeavor Phase-II (InTranSE -II).

What is Intelligent Transportation Systems Endeavor for Indian Cities?

• Intelligent Transportation System(ITS) is a revolutionary state-of-the-art technology.
• It will achieve traffic efficiency by prompting efficient infrastructure usage, minimising traffic problems, enriching users with prior information on traffic, reducing travel time and enhancing safety & comfort of commuters.
• This system can detect any accident and receive alerts for ensuring that an ambulance reaches the accident spot within 10-15 minutes.
• To synergize the transformation in ITS with more energy and pace MeitY took early steps by bringing together premier academic institutes like Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Indian Institute of Management (IIM) etc. and Premier R&D Centre like Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC) under one umbrella.
• Such an initiative formulated the Collaborative Intelligent Transportation Systems Endeavor for Indian Cities (InTranSE) during the year 2009-2012 (Phase-I).
• The InTranSE Phase-II program (2019-2021) is an extension of the InTranSE Phase-I program which is aiming at undertaking R&D projects collaboratively with IIT Bombay, IIT Madras, IISc Bangalore and C-DAC Thiruvananthapuram.

What is ODAWS?

• ODAWS incorporates vehicle-borne sensors for monitoring driver propensity and vehicle surroundings to deliver acoustic and visual alerts for driver assistance.
• The project involves the development of sub-modules such as the navigational unit, driver assistance console, and Millimetre Wave RADAR (mmWave radar) sensor.
  • The mmWave RADAR is an extremely valuable sensing technology ideal for detection of objects and providing information on range, velocity and angle of these objects.
• The navigational sensor provides a precise geo-spatial orientation of the vehicle as well as trends in driving behaviour.
• The ODAWS algorithm is used to interpret sensor data and offer real-time notifications to the driver, boosting road safety.

What is a Bus Signal Priority System?

• Bus signal priority System is an operational strategy that modifies normal traffic signal operations to better accommodate in-service public buses at signal-controlled intersections.
• Unlike a blind priority that is given for emergency vehicles, here it is a conditional priority, which is given only when there is an overall reduction in delay for all vehicles.
• The developed system will enable to minimise person delay by providing priority to public transport buses, either through Green extension or Red truncation, considering all vehicles approaching a signalised intersection.
  • Green Extension provides extra time for a detected transit vehicle to clear an intersection. Green extension is most applicable when transit runs at the back of the vehicle queue, as is common at the first signal after a far-side stop.
  • Red Truncation provides a green phase earlier than otherwise programmed, clearing an intersection approach with a waiting transit vehicle sooner than otherwise.

What is CoSMiC?

• It is a middleware software providing standard based deployment of IoT adhering to oneM2M (Machine -To Machine) based global standard.
  • oneM2M is the global standards initiative that covers requirements, architecture, API (Application Programming Interface) specifications, security solutions and interoperability for Machine-to-Machine and IoT technologies.
• It facilitates users and application service providers in various vertical domains to use application agnostic open standards and open interfaces for end to end communication with well-defined common service functionalities complying with oneM2M standard.
• With this in view, CoSMiC common service layer is used to interface any vendor specific standards and for increasing interoperability with smart city dashboard.

What are the other Government Initiatives to Control Road Accidents?

• Identification and Rectification of Black Spots:
  • High priority has been accorded to identification and rectification of black spots (accident prone spots) on national highways.
  • Regional Officers were delegated powers for technical approval to the detailed estimates for rectification of identified Road Accident black spots.
• Road Safety Audit:
  • Road safety has been made an integral part of road design at the planning stage. Road Safety Audit of all highway projects has been made mandatory at all stages i.e. design, construction, operation and maintenance.
• Facilities for the Persons with Disability:
  • Centre also issued guidelines to all states for pedestrian facilities on National Highways for persons with disabilities.
  • Government made provisions for ambulances with paramedical staff, Emergency Medical Technician or Nurse at toll plazas on the completed corridor of National Highways.
• Rewarding the Savers of Accident Victims:
  • A scheme was announced for grant of award to those who save lives of accident victims by administering immediate assistance and rushing them to hospital or Trauma Care Centre.

Source: PIB