I-Corps: Safe Driving Routing Tool

The broader impact/commercial potential of this I-Corps project is the development of a safe routing tool that uses multi-source data and associated data fusion to provide risk scoring based on real-time traffic, weather, and roadway conditions. With traffic crashes claiming 42,939 lives in the U.S. in 2021, integrating safer route analyses into navigation tools can revolutionize the mapping industry and enhance road safety. This technology not only serves as a tool for individual users seeking safer routes. Transportation authorities can leverage the technology and data for more effective road safety initiatives. Additionally, the adoption of this tool can incentivize safer driving behaviors, potentially leading to reduced insurance premiums, benefiting both users and insurance companies. Beyond its immediate impact, the project opens avenues for collaboration and knowledge-sharing among academic and research institutions. This I-Corps project is based on the development of a roadway risk scoring system for optimal route mapping. The technology integrates a safe system approach into route selection. The tool combines data from various historical and real-time sources related to road conditions, traffic, crashes, and weather. The solution employs a robust multi-source data fusion strategy to determine safety risks. In addition, the system employs advanced computer vision and artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms to generate real-time safety probability scores for different routes. This real-time evaluation marks a significant advancement in ensuring user safety, significantly improving the accuracy and reliability of the safety information provided to users. This information empowers users to make informed, data-driven decisions about their routes and travel plans and ensures that the tool offers a good understanding of potential hazards on various routes. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.