The testing phase of a real-time truck monitoring system has started in Italy; the tech will be able to check if HGVs and other vehicles have exceeded their legally-permitted weight limits.
The platform went into operation on June 28th on the Italian A3 motorway between Naples and Salerno. The technology was developed by Movyon in collaboration with the Italian Ministry of Infrastructure and Sustainable Mobility.
The system combines detection and warning algorithms with hardware components such as state-of-the-art cameras and dynamic weighing technology. According to Movyon’s press release, the latter consists of steel plates fixed in the asphalt equipped with fiber-optic sensors that can calculate the weight of the individual vehicles while driving.
What happens if a controlled vehicle is found to be overweight?
The device transmits real-time data to a central system. Drivers who do not obey the warnings on the display boards can expect to be banned from overtaking. The traffic police will also be notified and sent to escort the overweight truck to the first exit”.
Motorists traveling through Italy can find the technology on the following sections of the A3:
- South carriageway, between the Nocera Sud junction and Salerno
- Northbound carriageway between the Salerno and Cava dé Tirreni junctions; Junctions at Cava dé Tirreni, Vietri sul Mare and Salerno
Remote monitoring of trucks in Italy
The system above is by no means the only one Italian road authorities will be using to monitor trucks remotely. On the Brenner motorway, the Italian authorities are planning to go a step further by monitoring the speed of the trucks.
The system requires traffic lights to be installed every 50-100 meters along the motorway. The devices communicate with the mandatory software installed in the truck. The speed of each truck is then to be regulated automatically – the accelerator and brake pedals shall operate according to the A22’s central computer depending on the traffic situation. As a result the truck driver need only operate the steering wheel.
Photo: Movyon