← List all talks ...

See versus Hear - Wireless Digital Traffic Signs

Chai Toh – Senior Fellow, UC Berkeley

Thu, 2-Nov-2023 / 4:00pm / Packard 202

Abstract

Traffic signs have come a long way since the first automobile was invented. They have long served the purpose of warning and guiding drivers and also enforcing the traffic laws governing speed, parking, turns, yields, and stops. However, traffic signs have not changed for over a 100 years! In this talk, I shall discuss the limitations, issues, and challenges facing current traffic signs, and how it can evolve into a wireless traffic sign architecture (without the need for physical signs and for our eyes to actually see the signs) using advanced technologies. With advances in wireless comms, embedded electronics and programmable software, it will be possible to transmit traffic sign wirelessly to drivers (including AVs and EVs). This will transform our roads into “smart roads”, where signs will appear promptly and automatically on in‐vehicle displays to alert the driver. There will no longer be the need to memorize traffic signs or worry about not seeing a sign under bad weather, dim light or obstructions. Traffic accidents and fatalities can be significantly reduced, drivers can be more focused and such signs can now be made programmable (i.e,, signs can be changed when road conditions and needs change). This will shift our transport paradigm into a truly smart and digital form, unveiling the greater promise and benefits of future smart transportation.

Bio

Dr. Chai K Toh is currently a Senior Fellow with the Institute of Transportation at the University of California Berkeley USA. Previously, he was the Assistant Chief Executive and Group CTO at Infocom Development Authority of Singapore and VP/CTO of Singapore Power Telecom Ltd. In the USA, he was the Director of Research for TRW Systems Inc. (now Northrop Grumman) and Sr. Director at ALICO Systems Inc. (USA). Earlier on, he was a Chair Professor at University of London UK and on the faculty of UC Irvine and Georgia Tech. Dr. Toh received the IEEE Kiyo Tomiyasu Award in 2005 and IET Ambrose Fleming Medal in 2009 for pioneering the field of mobile ad hoc networks. He is a Fellow of AAAS and IEEE and was elected to International Fellow of the UK Royal Academy of Engineering in 2019. Dr. Toh holds a PhD in Computer Science from Cambridge University UK.