Large animal detection and continuous traffic monitoring on highways

Abstract

There is an increasing interest worldwide in animal detection systems to reduce animal-vehicle collisions. Traditional approaches include building animal crossings, introducing real or virtual fencing, video surveillance and break-the-beam systems. Unlike these approaches, the system described here Large Animal Warning and Detection System (LAWDS) employs a 360°-scanning radar to monitor a stretch of highway. This provides year-round continuous highway monitoring, even in harsh weather conditions. Innovative analysis and classification techniques enable the system to track large animals (e.g. deer). Low false alarm rate and environmental impact make LAWDS attractive for operational use. LAWDS also distinguishes vehicles from large animals and analyzes highway traffic metrics such as traffic volume and vehicle speeds.