Road Safety 2.0: How Technology-Driven Road Safety Measures Can Prevent Road Accidents

Road traffic injuries (RTIs) are the eighth leading cause of death globally for all ages and the first cause in the 5–29 years age group. Close to 1•4 million people die each year, and up to 50 million are injured by RTIs. More than half of these deaths are attributable to vulnerable road users (ie, pedestrians, cyclists, and motorcyclists). 

Road traffic collisions reduce countries’ annual gross domestic product by a range of 1–3%. India fares worst with the highest number of global road fatalities, at every four minutes one person dies on Indian roads denting the Indian economy by nearly US$ 55 billion equivalent to 1.85% of GDP. 

Identifying Road Safety & Risk Issues

Road safety has always been a complex and multifaceted issue. But despite many factors leading to fatal and non-fatal road injuries, the evidence identifies that, in the context of a safe systems approach, four main risk factors consistently increase the risk for road injuries and deaths at a population level and hence acknowledged by the WHO as major risk factors under Safe System Approach. These risk factors are:

1. Speeding, 

2. Drunk driving, 

3. Helmet use, and 

4. Use of seatbelt or child restraint. 

Although many other factors contribute to road injuries and deaths (e.g., infrastructure & vehicle safety measures), these four risk factors have a measurable effect on road mortality and morbidity.

According to a study published in The Lancet journal, nearly 30,000 lives in India could have been saved just by the implementation of simple road safety measures to prevent the above four main risk factors. During the study, the researchers found that in India:

1. 20,554 Lives Could Have Been Saved By Checking The Speed, 

2. 5,683 Lives Could Have Been Saved By Wearing Helmets,

3. 3,204 Lives Could Have Been Saved With Use Of Seatbelts. 

World Economic Forum-led Road Safety 2.0 pilots also reveal that over 80% of accidents are due to human errors and a majority can be prevented with the use of technology to compensate for human limitations. 

Besides human errors of over-speeding, drunk driving, driving on the wrong side of the road, driving without a license, fatigue, stress, overloading, traffic rules violations etc., the deficits in road engineering that create accident-prone spots and the sudden appearances of potholes and poor safety measures in the vehicles also contribute to the accidents. But the major reason remains the driving behaviour.

How to Improve

Having identified the major risk factors of road accidents, the next question comes how to improve the driver's behaviour to ensure: no over-speeding, wearing of seatbelts and helmets, no drunk driving, no driving on the wrong side of the road, no overloading, consistent good driving and adherence to traffic rules. 

The study reveals that the behaviour can be changed either by self-motivation or by the fear of penalty through strict enforcement.

For a densely populated country like India with a large population, self-motivating drivers for better driving through incentives & rewards workout to be a better option. 

Reward Good Drivers

Our theory of change has been to reward good drivers rather than wasting time, energy, and money on identifying & penalising bad drivers. 

The success of World Economic Forum (WEF) led Road Safety 2.0 pilots, demonstrated that this theory is more effective with a drastic reduction in accidents. 

As the second decade of Action for Global Road Safety has already started since, 2021 with ambitious targets of achieving Sustainable Development Goal 3.6, which calls for a 50% reduction in road traffic injuries and deaths by 2030.

Evidence Based Technological Intervention

There is an urgent need for effective implementation of the safe system approach with evidence-based technological interventions to reduce road traffic injuries. The WEF pilots show that addressing these just four main road safety risk factors using next-generation technologies can make it possible to avert between 25% and 40% of the annual road accident deaths. Technology has great potential for scalability with transparency and low-cost solutions. 

Safe Driving Scores

The driver’s behaviour which is a subjective matter can be tracked using IoT and converted into scores that may be called Safe Driving Scores. 

If these Scores are popularised Like CIBIL Scores and can be monetised to reward, incentivise and give financial benefits to good drivers or encourage vehicle owners to have higher Safe Driving Score drivers, the change in driving behaviour from recklessness to safe driving can be achieved.  

It can be a real game changer for road safety in India.

Ecosystem to Reward Safe Driving Scores

There is a need to create an ecosystem to reward these scores. 

Few vehicle OEMs, fuel Companies, wayside amenities and vehicle spare parts companies have shown keenness to be part of the ecosystem.

Insurance companies who are the main stakeholders were not coming forward due to regulatory restrictions. Now IRDAI has given nod for the change. This will reduce the dependency on third-party funding for road safety and will create a self-sustainable ecosystem. 

Good Driving Scores mean better drivers, who will get more rebates in insurance premiums. Similarly, a good/careful driver will lead to lesser accidents and thus lesser pay-out for insurance companies. 

Thus, drivers will carve for higher Safe Driving Scores to get maximum rebates in the insurance premiums, thus will drive safety resulting in lesser road accidents. A win-win for everyone. 

Tech Based Automated Enforcement System

However, the self-motivating measures for improving drivers’ behaviours alone can’t be the complete solution for road safety. Strict & transparent enforcement systems of traffic rules are equally essential. Both are complementary to each other. 

Due to the dense population of India, the manual enforcement system for detecting traffic violations and penalising violators is practically impossible. The enforcement system needs to be automated, comprising: speed cameras, incident detection cameras and ANPR (Automatic Number Plate Recognition) systems. 

IoTs and high-end software for real-time detection of violations and issuance of automated penalty challans with a robust recovery system. 

Automated Enforcement System with PPP Model

World Economic Forum did another pilot for the automated enforcement system in the PPP model with amazing results. The problem with an automated system is not the availability of technologies but the availability of the funds. The equipment and software of automated enforcement systems are firstly quite expansive and secondly require skilled manpower for flawless operations. Most Indian cities /municipalities don’t have enough financial resources. 

The WEF pilot demonstrated an economically viable and successful PPP model for the installation and operations of the automated enforcement system. The technology companies/OEMs are ready to bear the upfront installation cost of the automated system, thereafter manage & operate through their skilled manpower and recover their capital and operation & maintenance cost as a part of challans/penalty recovered by the government. This is not only financially viable but will also bring some additional revenue to cities/municipalities in addition to improving road safety and saving the lives of citizens. 

The global community is still far from achieving Sustainable Development Goal 3.6, which calls for a 50% reduction in road traffic injuries and deaths by 2030; reaching this goal will become harder now that the COVID-19 pandemic has changed priorities for governments and presented new competing challenges. But is right on the target to achieve it much earlier. Minister of Road Transport and Highways Mr Nitin Gadkari is quite positive about it and is aiming to reduce 50% fatalities on Indian roads by 2025 itself.

Source link: https://medium.com/@akhlisheshsrivastva/road-safety-2-0-how-technology-driven-road-safety-measures-can-prevent-road-accidents-d3c49e90fab

A way Ahead for Electric Vehicles in India.

 

Most people's initial thoughts when hearing about electric vehicles are whether or not they would be financially viable and whether or not they will contribute to a cleaner and more sustainable environment for future generations. As 100 percent FDI becomes a possibility, new manufacturing hubs, and greater effort to improve charging infrastructure, together with an increase in employment and FOREX, come into our thoughts. Indian-made electric two-wheelers are also given a boost in subsidies and policy by the government of India, as well as a boost for localized ACC battery storage production. Over 300,000 electric vehicles were sold in India in 2021.

Akhilesh Srivastava

India's recent plans to speed up the transition to e-mobility have been influenced by issues such as increased pollution, international pledges to address global climate change, and the burden of oil imports. Automotive production in the United States currently ranks fifth worldwide, although it is expected to rise to third place by the year 2030. More than ever, people are becoming aware of the pressing need to move away from fossil fuels and toward more environmentally friendly options.

The United States stands to benefit greatly if e-mobility becomes more widely used. In line with the Make in India initiative, the production of electric vehicles and the parts that go with them is predicted to boost manufacturing's contribution to India's GDP by 25% by 2022. In terms of the economy, the widespread adoption of electric vehicles is expected to save $60 billion in oil imports by 2030. Electric car owners can save up to Rs 20,000 per 5,000 km driven if the price of energy as a fuel drops to as low as Rs 1.1/km, according to math.

The Indian government appears to be encouraging Indian companies to bring in the best vehicles and charging infrastructure for its clients. Electric vehicles and bicycles are without a doubt a significant step toward reducing pollution and carbon emissions into the atmosphere. But it's not the only thing needed to protect our home planet's fragile ecosystems. Around 14% of worldwide greenhouse gas emissions are attributed to the transportation sector, according to recent research.

The first thing that comes to mind for Akhilesh Srivastava, IT Advisor to the Government of Uttarakhand and former Chief General Manager (Highway Operations and IT), NHAI, is the simplicity with which one may travel across the country. He is an outspoken proponent of modern technology. By utilizing FASTag and other cutting-edge transportation solutions, he has saved the country hundreds of millions of rupees. A record-breaking 150 crores in toll revenue was collected daily in March, with over 27 crore FASTag transactions registered. It's a dream come true for me.

Source link: https://medium.com/@akhlisheshsrivastva/a-way-ahead-for-electric-vehicles-in-india-fb64d7d6d2b1 

The New Entrant In the future Of Construction Industry 2.0.

 

The incorporation of unmanned aerial vehicles, or drones, into the building sector is a relatively new development that merits discussion and attention. There are many chores at a site that can be completed more quickly, accurately, and affordably with the assistance of a drone rather than using conventional techniques. How exactly may drones be put to use in the construction business, and what does the near-term and long-term outlook look like for this application of unmanned aerial vehicles?

 Akhilesh Srivastava

The days are long gone when acquiring data on a site required going there on foot or using manned aerial vehicles as the customary technique. This is something that each of us has done numerous times throughout our lives. Unfortunately, these approaches were not only time-consuming but also quite expensive. The number of construction projects that make use of drones is growing on an annual basis, and this trend is expected to continue.

From the initial site survey and measurement to the construction mapping and 3D modelling, from progress monitoring to the security and upkeep of building sites, the entire construction process is covered, from the initial site survey and measurement. Drones provide a wide range of useful functionality in addition to easy accessibility. In the past, inspecting something like a roof was not only challenging but also expensive, risky, and time-consuming. Particularly so in the event that getting to the roof is a particularly challenging endeavor. You may now easily fly a drone to the location in question and perform live video analysis in real-time. How wonderful does that sound?

 

Back in 2018, North America made a little more money than Asia. However, thanks to the growth of China, Japan, and especially India, Asia is now making more money than North America (since the legalization of drones there in December 2018). Drones have a lot of useful features and are easy to use. They can be used to survey and measure a site for the first time, map and model the construction site in 3D, keep an eye on how things are going and keep the site safe and up to date. With more and more ways to use drones in the construction industry, now is the time for construction managers to think about how drone use will affect their own plans for the future. In the same way, the safety features and risk-reduction benefits of drone technology continue to grow and change to meet the needs of many emergency services, such as fire, search and rescue, and dangerous structure teams. These teams now often use drones instead of people to survey for safety and rescue instead of sending people.

 

When we talk about Akhilesh Srivastava, IT Advisor to the Government of Uttarakhand, Ex-Chief General Manager (Highway Operations & IT), NHAI, the first thing that comes to mind is the ease of travel across the length and breadth of the country. He has done numerous analysis of every process, at the most minuscule level in his "Construction Industry 2.0" book. It is an excellent read for those who want to make efficient decisions based on technologies, which were never a few years back. Akhilesh Srivastava stated that the purpose of the Technology-driven "Construction Industry 2.0" book is to help better understand how emerging technologies will impact the practice and research of "Construction Industry 2.0".

Source link: https://medium.com/@akhlisheshsrivastva/the-new-entrant-in-the-future-of-construction-industry-2-0-b02b36411cf8

Explore New Construction Horizons With Construction Industry 2.0.

The evolution of our civilization has directly impacted the construction and has not only played a key role in the overall development of economies but our way of living also.

Whenever I look at our history, I realize that Construction Industry has been an instrumental element of the entire economic growth and is a catalyst of social-economic development for many generations. Whilst the past has been highly productive, the Construction Industry is facing a challenging future, in the current scenario.

These are challenging times for everyone and call for optimization, cost-effectiveness, meeting the deadline, efficiency, etc, more and more.

Mr.Akhilesh Srivastava

 When we talk about Mr.Akhilesh Srivastava, IT Advisor to the Government of Uttarakhand, Ex-Chief General Manager (Highway Operations & IT), NHAI, the first thing that comes to mind is the ease of travel across the length and breadth of the country.

After a record-breaking success of best-selling books, "Digital Construction Management" and “Artificial Intelligence in Infrastructure”, Akhilesh Srivastava has gone above and beyond in instilling a sense of how applied technology can further simplify and revolutionize the Construction Industry in yet another excellent read in his new book, which is currently available on Amazon on “Construction Industry 2.0”. This book talks about the use and deployment of Digital Technology to improve end to end process of delivering and operating the built environment, known as Digitally aided Construction. Over the last few decades, we have witnessed almost all the construction companies continue to improve their financial stand. This can be attributed to employment, ease of doing business, stronger consumer protection rights, and the most important one, the implementation of intelligent technologies. Our cities are getting bigger, better, and smarter day by day and this requires a more than an ever smarter way of construction.

 In the book "Construction Industry 2.0" Akhilesh Srivastava, outlines the global transformation of the construction sites, which are no longer simply a place for cement, bricks, and concrete, they are changing the world—physically and theoretically. These construction sites are a hotbed of all sorts of data and thus construction sites are being leveraged to drive operations and improve efficiencies in the industry.

 He narrates, field data tracking, for instance, and talks about what used to be a tedious and manual process that involved clipboards and filing cabinets has become streamlined through mobile, cloud, and big data analytics technologies so that users can capture and analyze the data in near real-time. The digitization of that process now means construction workers can easily gather and share data with key stakeholders, both on-site and back at headquarters, using a range of tools including apps, smartphone cameras, drones, and even robots. Our modern and digitized construction sites are collecting data through cell phone devices as a strategy for success in today's digital age. Information reported and accessed using handheld equipment is no longer seen as a "nice to have," but rather a valuable and inimitable resource to help firms stay competitive and understand how resources can be better leveraged to get work done.

 Artificial Intelligence for Immediate actionable Intelligence on the site:

 The mass and accessible usage of digital techniques, and the transition to a digital economy are also playing an important role in transforming the Construction Industry. By facilitating better planning and preparation for "what if" scenarios, construction companies are looking to technology to help make projects more profitable.

 Traditionally, information used to be and has been stored in myriad different places—floppy disks, compact discs, USBs, spreadsheets, and even the human brain. But as data volumes become larger and the demand for actionable intelligence from these receptacles of information grows, the need for adequate capturing and processing techniques will has increased manifolds.

 Akhilesh Srivastava has done the analysis of every process, at the most minuscule level in his “Construction Industry 2.0” book. It is an excellent read for those who want to make efficient decisions based on technologies, which were never a few years back.

Source-https://medium.com/@akhlisheshsrivastva/explore-new-construction-horizons-with-construction-industry-2-0-f1d572932086

Explore New Construction Horizons With Construction Industry 2.0.

Since the very evolution of our civilization, construction has not only played a key role in the overall development of economies but our way of living also.

Akhilesh Srivastava

Whenever I look at our history, I realize that Construction Industry has been an instrumental element of the entire economic growth and is a catalyst of socio-economic development for many generations. Whilst the past has been highly productive, the Construction Industry is facing a challenging future, in the current scenario.

These are challenging times for everyone and call for optimization, cost-effectiveness, meeting the deadline, efficiency, etc.

When we talk about Akhilesh Srivastava, IT Advisor to the Government of Uttarakhand, Ex-Chief General Manager (Highway Operations & IT), NHAI, the first thing that comes to mind is the ease of travel across the length and breadth of the country.

After a record-breaking success of best-selling books, "Digital Construction Management" and “Artificial Intelligence in Infrastructure”, Akhilesh Srivastava has gone above and beyond in instilling a sense of how applied technology can further simplify and revolutionize the Construction Industry in yet another excellent read in his new book, which is currently available on Amazon titled “Construction Industry 2.0”. The book talks about the use and deployment of Digital Technology to improve end to end process of delivering and operating the built environment, known as Digitally aided Construction. Over the last few decades, we have witnessed almost all the construction companies continue to improve their financial stand. This can be attributed to employment, ease of doing business, stronger consumer protection rights, and the most important one, the implementation of intelligent technologies. Our cities are getting bigger, better, and smarter day by day and this requires a more than an ever smarter way of construction.

 

The book “Construction Industry 2.0” by Akhilesh Srivastava, outlines the global transformation of the construction sites, which are no longer simply a place for cement, bricks, and concrete, they are changing the world—physically and theoretically. These construction sites are a hotbed of all sorts of data and thus construction sites are being leveraged to drive operations and improve efficiencies in the industry.

 

He narrates, field data tracking, for instance, and talks about what used to be a tedious and manual process that involved clipboards and filing cabinets has become streamlined through mobile, cloud, and big data analytics technologies so that users can capture and analyze the data in near real-time. The digitization of that process now means construction workers can easily gather and share data with key stakeholders, both on-site and back at headquarters, using a range of tools including apps, smartphone cameras, drones, and even robots. Our modern and digitized construction sites are collecting data through cell phone devices as a strategy for success in today’s digital age. Information reported and accessed using handheld equipment is no longer seen as a “nice to have,” but rather a valuable and irreplaceable resource to help firms stay competitive and understand how resources can be better leveraged to get work done.

 

Artificial Intelligence for Immediate actionable intelligence on the site:

The mass and accessible usage of digital techniques, and the transition to a digital economy are also playing an important role in transforming the Construction Industry. By facilitating better planning and preparation for “what if” scenarios, construction companies are looking to technology to help make projects more profitable.

 Traditionally, information used to be and has been stored in myriad different places—floppy disks, compact discs, USBs, spreadsheets, and even the human brain. But as data volumes become larger and the demand for actionable intelligence from these receptacles of information grows, the need for adequate capturing and processing techniques will has increased manifolds.

 

Akhilesh Srivastava has done the analysis of every process, at the most minuscule level in his “Construction Industry 2.0” book. It is an excellent read for those who want to make efficient decisions based on technologies, which were never a few years back.

Source- https://medium.com/@akhlisheshsrivastva/explore-new-construction-horizons-with-construction-industry-2-0-c5a827ab5f2e

Akhilesh Srivastava: Construction Industry 2.0, Decoded.

 

When we talk about Akhilesh Srivastava, Ex-Chief General Manager (Highway Operations & IT), NHAI, the first thing that comes to mind is his Ingenuity and technological approach in making India, digitized.

 From the author of the best-selling books, "Digital Construction Management" and“Artificial Intelligence in Infrastructure”, Akhilesh Srivastavacontinues to inspire us with his saga in his upcoming and “Construction Industry 2.0”. This book, pens down the use and deployment of Digital Technology to improve the process of delivering and operating the built environment, known as Digitally aided Construction.

Akhilesh Srivastava, being a torchbearer of World Economic Forum-led Road Safety 2.0 India, is Advisor to the Government of Uttarakhand and Senior Advisor with McKinsey & Company.

Ex-Chief General Manager (Highway Operations & IT), NHAI, has taken the inspiration from the marvels of Mother Nature to communication and prepares us all for the next Industrial Revolution, as Industrial Revolution 4.0.

Let us get a brief understanding of what construction Industry 2.0 is? It is the next generation construction industry upgraded suiting to the current digital age, where IR 4.0 technologies and changing the landscape of every industry and redefining the organizations & industries.

When we look back at the very first Industrial Revolution, the use of steam power and the mechanization of industry ushered in the First Industrial Revolution in the 18th century, according to historians. The motorized version, which replaced the threads made on simple spinning wheels, produced eight times the volume in the same amount of time, which means improved operational efficiency by nearly 10 times. This Industrial Revolution known as IR 1.0 changed the entire landscape of the world in just a few decades.

The Second Industrial Revolution, which began around the turn of the last century, is known as Industry Revolution 2.0. The emergence of electricity was a crucial component in this revolution. Electrical power was a crucial power source that was already well-known and when we compare this to steam-powered machinery and water, which were inefficient and resource-intensive, electrical machines were more cost-effective to maintain and operate.

In the mid-1970s, the Third Industrial Revolution, often known as Industrial Revolution 3.0, began with the use of computers that could be programmed to recall parts of processes. Thanks to technological advancements, we can now create a whole production process without the need for human interaction. This is well-known in the form of robots that obey pre-set beliefs without human interaction.

In the book,“Construction Industry 2.0”, Akhilesh Srivastava, outlines a detailed and comprehensive analysis of making the construction, operation, and renewal of the built environment safer, more efficient, and collaborative. It will ensure that we achieve better results at each stage of an asset's lifecycle. The book demonstrates how technology has changed the way we connect, choose and purchase products and services using online threads. It's no surprise, then, that the property and construction industries have steadily begun to recognize the advantages of the ever-evolving technology environment in which we now live and work. Young, tech-savvy professionals are entering the workforce, and Akhilesh Srivastava has considered this and has already achieved milestones in his profession.

In addition to well-known books by Akhilesh Srivastava, such as "Digital Construction Management" and "Artificial Intelligence in Infrastructure," the much-awaited upcoming book "Construction Industry 2.0" discusses the integration of far more advanced technologies such as Cloud Technology, Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, AI, GPS, GIS, and other geospatial technologies, as well as their impact on streamlining the construction ecosystem. The book discusses how efficient the construction ecosystem would become if such technologies were implemented.

The book explains the innovations, strategies, effective resource deployment, and real-time analysis of any deviation clearly and concisely. There isn't a single element in the construction process that hasn't been talked about in detail in this book. This book offers a More-Than-perfect depiction of the adoption of newer technology, as well as its ability to absorb new ones in the future.

Source Link: https://medium.com/@akhlisheshsrivastva/akhilesh-srivastava-construction-industry-2-0-decoded-56b022fbcec9

Implementing Innovative Technology to Re-Define India’s e-Governance and Infra sector

Over the last decade, India has witnessed a plethora of achievements and has truly transformed into a Power House of Innovation, Digitization, and an influential Global Leader in digital technologies.

There are very few who are aware of the key players behind the curtain, one such prominent name is Akhilesh Srivastava a Dynamic, Visionary, and go-getter, who is silently transforming the digital ecosystem of India.

Akhilesh Srivastava is currently leading the World Economic Forum’s initiative Road Safety 2.0 in India. Road Safety 2.0. The Road Safety 2.0 India initiative is "Shaping the Future of Road Safety in India" with a technology-driven approach to save lives on Indian Roads. It is creating a human-centric road ecosystem, where technology compensates for the human limitations to improve road safety. A single person on mission mode is transforming road safety in India and taking it to next level.

A contemporary leader, his commendable efforts to Road Safety 2.0, clubbed with the vision of "Shaping the Future of Road Safety in India" has won accolades on a global platform for a technology-driven approach to create a human-centric road ecosystem, where technology compensates for the human limitations to improve road safety. Under the astute and dynamic leadership of Mr Akhilesh Srivastava, the new and Digitized NHAI ran miles in its journey to adopt technology and have been making unprecedented moves. Some of the well-known projects that have taken good shape under the guidance of Mr Akhilesh Srivastava are FASTag, RAMS, Pilot for GPS-based Tolling on Delhi-Mumbai corridor, Advanced Traffic Management System and Incident Management System.

From prestigious and elite posts such as Member of Board of Governors for International Council of Consultants and Board of Governors for Engineering Council of India, he has carved a formidable niche for himself in the Government Demography.

Akhilesh Srivastava Ex CGG NHAI a Gold medallist from IIT, is one of the most Tech Savvy senior Governments, with a passion for innovative Skills and pioneering Digital solutions to solve complex problems. He has a variety of experience in Contract Management, Information Technology, Financial Management, and Business Management and rose to head as COO of IHMCL (Indian Highways Management Company Limited), a top Indian company of Highway management promoted by NHAI & MoRTH.

He is the person who is behind India's most successful execution of the digital program, such as FASTag, the electronic toll collection system on national highways, and played a pivotal role in modernizing the Indian highway sector in the last 4 years. Introduced IoT devices and the latest digital technologies in the project life cycle of highways. Completed geo-fencing the national highways and established state of art Command Control Centre.

Source Link: https://www.reddit.com/user/akhilesh_info/comments/tgt84r/implementing_innovative_technology_to_redefine/