velo.ai reposted this
This past summer, velo.ai teamed up with Ann Arbor Downtown Development Authority to conduct a first-of-its-kind bicyclist safety study. Equipping local volunteers with our Copilot bike safety product, we collected over 500 miles of new data, including thousands and thousands of interactions between vehicle drivers and bicyclists. Some key findings of our study: - 🚦 Bike Stress Map: We created a detailed bike stress map for Ann Arbor, revealing where cyclists feel safest—and where they don’t. - 🚲 Infrastructure Matters: Protected bike lanes significantly reduced stress for bicyclists traveling alongside traffic. This might not be a surprise, but it's invaluable to quantify this with exact numbers. - 🛻 Driver Behavior Insights: Vehicle type plays a role—pickup truck drivers were notably more likely to have caused close passes with bicyclists. This study is just the beginning of how velo.ai is harnessing data to promote safer streets. Thanks to our recent SBIR award from the DOT (U.S. DOT Research and Technology), we’re expanding this research in numerous ways. As a proud fourth-generation University of Michigan alum, I was thrilled to bring this cutting-edge tech to Ann Arbor. The city’s commitment to Vision Zero—a bold goal to eliminate traffic fatalities by next year—deserves the best data to direct efforts effectively. Together, we can make this vision a reality. If you’re part of a city looking to leverage data for bicycling safety, let’s connect! We’re already planning for a busy 2025 season of data partnerships. 🚲🤖🚀