Hexagon Helps University Forecast Traffic Risk in Tennessee

Hexagon, a company whose products include public-sector software and autonomous transportation technologies, has teamed with the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga on a project meant to make local traffic safer.

According to a statement from Hexagon, the school will use HxGN Connect — described as a “real-time incident center” by the company — “to support a research project for better understanding, predicting and responding to traffic accidents" in the Chattanooga, Tenn., area.

The effort involves the use of multisensory data as well as machine learning to help researchers analyze accidents and their patterns in hopes of preventing more crashes, an effort involving coordination of public-sector resources.

More specifically, the university’s Center for Urban Informatics and Progress, or CUIP, has created a predictive model that gives a 24-hour forecast to inform resource planning and development.

As for HxGN Connect, it functions as a conduit for sharing data and other forms of collaboration among groups involved in the effort. Those organizations can use such tools as charts, video conferences and other channels to focus on dangerous intersections and plan accordingly.

“Our ultimate goal is reducing response times to traffic incidents and creating safer roadways,” said Austin Harris, who manages CUIP's smart city and connected vehicle testbed, in the statement. “HxGN Connect allows us to provide that data in a way where multiple entities can collaborate in real time, with full situational awareness. It has allowed us to really focus on the research, which we know will have a meaningful impact on the people of Chattanooga and Hamilton County.”