|
Finding your way in the dark could become easier on New South Wales roads in Australia following successful trials of Astucia solar powered road studs on an unused section of the F3 Motorway at Gosford on the state’s Central Coast. Drivers often have problems seeing the direction of a road once darkness falls especially if all they have to guide them is the reflection of their lights on cat’s eye road studs. Technology using solar-powered studs automatically lights up the road far ahead of a vehicle’s headlights improving visibility and providing an economical safety solution. NSW Roads and Traffic Authority tested the SolarLite S series solar powered studs developed by Astucia, the world leaders in solar powered road safety illumination technology. The Astucia® SolarLite™ S series, intelligent road studs, with their built in solar powered Light Emitting Diode (LED) automatically illuminate from dusk to dawn providing visibility of the route ahead for approximately 1000 metres which is up to ten times further than the traditional retro-reflective passive road stud. Astucia Australasia Director Peter Doupé advised: “Improving a driver’s ability to see the direction the road is taking reduces the potential for crashes, especially the kind in which single vehicles run off a poorly lit road,” The night time testing saw representatives from the Roads and Traffic Authority and Astucia set out various configurations on the disused motorway section simulating tight curves, sweeping bends and straight sections. The studs were illuminated in a variety of colours.
Peter Doupé also commented: "The Astucia solar powered studs exceeded expectations with their brightness and ability to light up the road ahead, following the successful first part of the trial Astucia would work with RTA to look for appropriate opportunities for the future. There is significant interest in Astucia technology from Australian Local Governments, State Governments and state road authorities as they search for cost effective safety solutions for existing roads.” |
| |
