The country’s first red road built in Madhya Pradesh is now in discussion regarding road safety and ADAS. As new technology cars are arriving in India, the roads are also being made smart. A new experiment in this direction has been done in Madhya Pradesh. A stretch of about 2 km through the forest on NH-45 has now been made a red colored special road. This is India’s first road with table-top red thermoplastic marking. It aims to consider driver thinking, wildlife safety and future ADAS technology.
This is different from the red road speed breaker
This red road is not like our speed breaker or rumble strip. It is slightly elevated and visible from a distance. Its red color signals the driver to drive slowly. Due to which there is no need to brake suddenly, the vehicle is not damaged and the driver is also not bothered. Hence it can help in reducing accidents caused by animals in wild areas.
Will Red Road Confound ADAS?
Many people fear that different colored roads can confuse the ADAS system? But experts say that modern ADAS is not just based on color. It takes information from road key lines, contrast, reflectivity and sensors like cameras, radar and LiDAR. According to Tata Technologies ADAS Chief Engineer Abhishek Mohan, the road is generally safe for Level-2 and Level-3 ADAS systems as long as the road’s white and yellow lane lines are clearly visible. ADAS mainly steers the vehicle in the right direction along these lines. Horizontal markings such as red are treated by the system as road surfaces, not lanes. If the lane line is ever pushed for a period of time, the system may prompt the driver to take control, which is considered a completely safe practice.
Learn from Dubai, Hints for India
This Red Road is inspired by Sheikh Zayed Road in Dubai. On Sheikh Zayed Road, different colored lanes have also been constructed in special areas, which has reduced accidents. This experiment of India also shows that now roads are not just for vehicles, but are being made with human, animal and environment in mind. According to the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, the project is an important step towards environmental friendliness, safety of people and protection of wildlife. Here, the red road is not a sign of danger, but of intelligent design.