Safer Urban Mobility for Vulnerable Road Users Through Cooperative Awareness and Shared Perception

In the heart of Sydney’s Darling Harbour, Lexus Australia is leading an innovative project that offers a glimpse into the future of urban mobility. The project integrates Cooperative Intelligent Transport Systems (C-ITS) to create a safer urban environment, focusing on Vulnerable Road Users (VRUs) safety. VRUs include pedestrians, motorcycle riders, cyclists, children under 7, the elderly, and users of mobility devices. These individuals lack protection in crashes and are disproportionately represented in trauma statistics. In Australia, of the 1,106 road fatalities in 2020, 12% were pedestrians, 17% were motorcycle riders, and 4% were cyclists. The project demonstrates how C-ITS Cooperative Awareness and Collective Perception Services can enable real-time information sharing between both "connected" and "non-connected" road users, enhancing awareness in dense urban environments. This demonstration highlights vehicle-to-vehicle intersection movement assistance connected cycling with OBU Lite, and Image Detection Based Traffic Analytics for pedestrian collision notifications. The C-ITS ecosystem requires cooperation between multiple levels of government, manufacturers, and technology providers. This project exemplifies how synergies can be found between totally different areas of the ITS industry. This demonstration is the result of a partnership between Lexus Australia and Commsignia, Bosch, Aptella, HMI Technologies, and Queensland Government to deliver the future of ITS, right here in Australia. Lexus Australia and its partners are advancing urban mobility by prioritising safety and inclusivity, aiming to create a safer, more efficient, productive, sustainable, and accessible transport system for all Australians. This initiative aligns with Australia’s National Road Transport Technology Strategy and sets a global benchmark, demonstrating how cooperative and automated transport technologies can enhance social, environmental, and economic well-being.