Ontario Highway 405: pioneer autonomous warning system using smartmicro sensors

Our partner, Black & McDonald, deployed the first autonomous warning system of its kind on a Canadian highway.

In 2020, our partner Black & McDonald seized the opportunity to design, construct, operate, and maintain the Queue and Stopped Vehicle Advisory System (QSVAS) on Ontario Highway 405. To meet the project’s requirements, detection devices were needed that can provide continuous, real-time speed and volume data of queues and stopped vehicles in each traffic lane.

35 smartmicro UMRR-0C Type 42 sensors were deployed, separated every 200 meters, along the eastbound corridor that leads toward the United States border. With the use of our sensors, the system provides drivers with real-time information on traffic conditions, incidents, and queues as they approach the Highway 405 border crossing.

“The 405 QSVAS was successfully configured to automatically post a warning and alert message – based on real-time road conditions – to multiple variable message signs along the Highway 405 border crossing. smartmicro’s advanced detection technology was seamlessly installed and integrated, fitting into the high-performance system. We are proud that this is the first autonomous warning system of its kind deployed on a Canadian highway.” says Peter Short, ITS Sales Associate at Black & McDonald.
In 2022, this project won the Intelligent Mobility Award from ITS-STI Canada (Intelligent Transportation Systems Society of Canada).

For more information about the project, see the case study presentation: here.