An intelligent speed bump solution for traffic calming

Since their introduction the traditional speed bumps have been the main tool used by the traffic engineers for limiting the driving speed, particularly in the vulnerable traffic areas. Traditional speed bumps do work, but they also raise considerable safety and cost-related issues, including potential injuries of the passengers, adverse effects on the buses and damages to the overpassing vehicles. Additionally, the traditional speed bumps force vehicles to repeatedly slow down and speed up, which almost doubles the amount of the exhaust gasses and have high impact on the fuel consumption. To address these challenges, the Macedonian engineering company has developed an intelligent speed bump that combines electronics and software for the purpose of securing high level of responsiveness and height adaption, depending on the driving speed. When the driving speed is above the set limits, the bump acts as a traditional speed bump, whereas for the compliant drivers the bump is on the road level, thus improving the overall driving experience. The solution is composed of a set of integrated sensors used for measuring of the driving speed and a microcontroller used for running a software that regulates the bump’s responsiveness and provides valuable data sets. The software can also offer a variety of advanced features, including possibility for dynamic settings in line to specific traffic needs (e.g. different speed limits during day and night). As such, the solution encourages more controlled and consistent driving speeds, enables smoother driving, and improves the overall environmental footprint in the concerned traffic areas. The company has successfully finished the prototype stage and has started to explore the potentials for commercialisation of the solution. In this regard, the company is looking for industrial partners who will facilitate the market introduction of the proposed intelligent speed bump. The commercialisation path can either involve licensing or selling out the proposed solution under the terms of license agreement or commercial agreement with technical assistance, respectively. In both cases the Macedonian company expects to enrich its base of international clients and to improve its brand recognition, whereas the potential partners would benefit from improved customer satisfaction and higher financial gains.