pedpis

Pedpis is a term used in urban mobility research to denote a Pedestrian-vehicle information signaling system, a data integration framework designed to coordinate pedestrian detection, intent prediction, and signaling with motorized traffic. The concept envisions an ecosystem of sensors, connected infrastructure, and data-sharing protocols that enable real-time guidance for both pedestrians and vehicles to reduce conflicts at road crossings.

Architecture and data flow: Core components include a perception module that fuses inputs from cameras, lidar, radar, and mobile devices; an intent-prediction module that estimates crossing intent and walking speed; a conflict-detection module that assesses potential interactions between pedestrians and vehicles; and a signaling/control module that issues adaptive crosswalk timings, dynamic speed advisories, and vehicle braking or advisory warnings. Data governance and privacy controls define who can access data and how long it is stored.

Applications and benefits: Pilot deployments have focused on busy urban corridors and school zones. Pedpis can improve safety by shortening pedestrian exposure times, reduce congestion through adaptive signaling, and support accessibility by providing non-visual alerts and tactile feedback. Integrated with vehicle ADAS and V2X communications, pedpis complements traditional traffic control by layering pedestrian-centric information across modes.

Challenges: Technical interoperability across vendors, latency, sensor reliability, and privacy concerns are among the main barriers. Regulatory frameworks and standardization efforts are ongoing to ensure safe, scalable deployment.

See also: intelligent transportation systems, V2X communication, adaptive traffic signal control, pedestrian safety.