A Growing Number of Smart Pedestrian Crossings Are Making the Streets Safer

Pearl Enterprises Kft., the developer of the smart pedestrian crossing system in Hungary, handed over the country’s 250th smart pedestrian crossing last week. After creating 60-65 pedestrian crossing points last year, the Debrecen-based company

By: hungarytoday.hu

Apr 18 2024
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A Growing Number of Smart Pede

Project manager Alfréd Szűcs, explained the functioning of the SafeCross smart crossing, saying: “Sensors placed on the two edges of the road and high-intensity LED prisms placed in the pavement will flash to alert motorists before pedestrians cross the road.” Pearl Entreprises Kft., whose core business is the construction of solar power plants, entered this market in 2016, with its own patent and installed the country’s first smart pedestrian crossing in Debrecen (eastern Hungary). Since then, a separate division within the company has been designing the technology, building the system, and operating it.

Tens of millions of forints have already been spent on the project since its launch, he said, adding that

there is no other company operating a similar system internationally.

Data from recent years show that the use of smart pedestrian crossings has drastically reduced the number of accidents and increased the “willingness of motorists to stop,” from 55-60% to 75-85%, he added.

Depending on the location and the length of the road, the gross cost of the installation varies between HUF 4-4.8 million (EUR 10-12,000). The system can be installed relatively quickly and operated at low cost and with a low failure rate, explained Alfréd Szűcs. The technology can also be easily integrated into the Smart City concept, he said, as it can be used to obtain a wealth of data on pedestrian and vehicle traffic that can inform urban development strategies. The expert noted that

they have already entered the Romanian market and have plans to enter Germany and Slovakia.

Boglárka Olt, an expert at Generali’s Foundation for Security, told MTI that Generali Insurance has helped set up 60 smart meters since 2018, with the support of the foundation. For the winning applicants, 50 percent of the installation costs will be covered. She added that accident statistics are taken into account when selecting the sites, and that sites near educational institutions are given priority.

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