Reflective Road Markings Let Humans and Vehicles Share Security
Road markings are of vital importance in traffic
safety system. Compared to street lights, signage and other safety facilities, road
marking can have a sustained positive impact on road safety at a relatively low
cost. At the same time, as technology advances, autonomous vehicles are
considered an answer to the high accident rate.
However, since autonomous vehicles rely on
Machine Vision for guidance in the vast majority of situations, they cannot
operate effectively on roads lacking maintenance. Therefore, applicable autonomous driving
technology solutions must include road markings that can be recognized by human
drivers and machine vision alike.
I.Road
Markings Safety System
Road markings are a traffic safety system
composed of a base layer and a retro-reflective layer. The base layer can be
solvent-based or water-based paints, thermoplastic paints that are softened under
heat, or two-component or multi-component paints that are solidified by
chemical reactions on the road surface.
Base Layer—Paints
The base layer is the key component of the road
marking system, which can be divided into two categories: thin and thick. The
thinner base is usually no more than 1mm, and the construction method is mainly
spraying. The thicker base can reach several millimeters, and the construction
method is mainly screeding. The main functions of the base layer respectively are
to provide the color required for road markings, to form a retro-reflective surface,
and to bond glass beads. The selection of base materials determines the
durability of the road marking system, which could significantly improve the
quality of the road markings if the materials selected possessed better weather
resistance.
Retro-Reflective Layer—Glass Beads
Glass beads are an indispensable part of the
road marking system, providing retro-reflection and protecting the base layer
from the abrasion caused by wheels to a certain extent. The refractive index
(RI) is an essential characteristic of glass beads for road markings. Usually the
standard glass beads have a refractive index of 1.5, while more advanced glass
beads can have a refractive index of 1.7. In some special applications, the
refractive index of glass beads can reach 1.9. High quality glass beads have
better roundness and reflectivity, as well as stronger anti-corrosion.
II. Road Markings Are Crucial
Driving is
a highly visual task, and road markings can provide simple, continuous, and
clear reference to location. Road marking helps vehicles stay centered in the
lane, especially around curves.
Road
markings are especially crucial when driving on roads lacking lighting at night.
Studies have shown that darkness greatly impairs drivers' visual abilities, so
although the traffic load is lower at night than during the day, the accident
rate and severity are significantly higher.
Road
markings must be reflective so that they are clearly visible under headlights.
That's what glass beads do. The degree of
reflection of the road markings depends on the type, quality and settlement of
glass beads. During the use of road markings, the surface wear of glass beads
will cause the attenuation of the retro-reflection.
In
the Journal of the Transportation Research Board in 2013, Texas A&M
University confirmed the correlation between the retro-reflection coefficient and
traffic safety. The study found that for every 100mcd/m²/lx increase in the
retro-reflection coefficient of road markings, the number of intersections
associated with accidents decreased by 23%.
III. The Role of
Reflective Marking in Automatic Driving
Currently,
about 90% of accidents are caused by human error. Therefore, it is widely believed
that adding more sensors or replacing human drivers with precision computers
can reduce the occurrence of accidents. However, without properly maintained
road markings, automatic driving systems cannot function properly. That's
because the automatic driving system still relies on road markings to determine
where the vehicle is in the lane.
The
increase in the retro-reflection coefficient of road markings will enable the
lane departure warning system to operate more effectively. Almost all machine
vision-based automation systems require road markings to be reflective in order
to enable effective recognition at night.
For
the foreseeable future, road markings will not only guide human-driven
vehicles, but also computer-controlled cars. Until full automation becomes a
reality, it is absolutely essential that road signage and road markings should
be properly maintained at a high level.
With
its excellent characteristics, two-component paints are gradually replacing
thermoplastic paints to become the mainstream of road markings. Especially
considering its visibility, durability, environmental protection and long-term
cost, more and more high-grade highways are using it as the preferred solution
for road marking.
Tory for Your Traffic
Safety Needs
MMA two-component road
paint is recommended for achieving a high quality, durable and long-lasting
road markings. Besides, MMA traffic paint can be firmly bonded to a variety of
substrates. The safety and visibility of road markings can be improved by mix
MMA with glass beads to
form a high-reflective road surface.
As a leading
manufacturer of traffic safety materials with more than 30 years’ experience, Tory
is committed to ongoing product development and excellent customer services
that makes us the perfect partner for your road marking paint supply needs. For
more information, or to get started on your traffic safety solution: https://www.cntory.com/
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free to contact us:
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