City and Honda officials conducted a dry-run Tuesday to prepare for an event to be held Thursday morning. A portion of the Uptown, including the intersection of Fifth and Main streets will be closed between 9 a.m. and noon Thursday. Honda will be demonstrating its “Smart Intersection” technology.
(Journal-Tribune photo by Mac Cordell)
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Uptown Marysville will shut down for several hours Thursday as Honda demonstrates its Smart Intersection for local and state leaders along with members of the national media and Honda higher-ups.
The event will highlight a new high-tech intersection at the intersection of Fifth and Main streets in Marysville. Honda is using the spot to conduct “real world evaluations” of its vehicle-to-infrastructure and vehicle-to-vehicle communication systems.
“They are going to replicate the technology and show what a connected vehicle can do,” Marysville City Manager Terry Emery said.
Honda and city officials said cameras mounted on posts at the intersection are able to recognize pedestrians, vehicles and other objects. The cameras are able to relay real-time information and messages to traffic signals, connected cars and traffic officials.
According to the company, its “Smart Intersection” technology allows cars to “virtually see through and around walls and buildings to help drivers detect other vehicles and pedestrians to avoid potential crashes.”
Officials explained that if a pedestrian is crossing the street against the light, the camera can recognize that and send a message to connected vehicles, slowing them down or stopping them. If a car fails to slow at a yellow light, the cameras can recognize that and send message to slow or stop other connected vehicles near the intersection.
“We will run through several different scenarios that a driver may encounter, including emergency vehicles, jaywalking pedestrians and even a red-light runner – with a focus on how the software and vehicle adapt to each situation,” according to a release from the company.
The event is scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. in Partners Park, 125 E. Sixth St. A variety of company and community members will deliver remarks and provide an overview before demonstrating the connected technology in a variety of driving scenarios.
Top Ohio government transportation officials will talk about the intersection and the implications for the 33 Connected Corridor and the Smart City project in Columbus.
At the event in the park, Honda will also introduce a video shot in Marysville during the summer to highlight the technology.
“Probably the intersection will shut down around 9 a.m. in preparation and then reopen as soon as we can after noon,” Emery said.
Emery said the event is “really big for Marysville.”
“It really is featuring the work Honda has done with us on primarily the intersection of Fifth and Main, but what people can expect to evolve from there out through the city,” Emery said.
Honda officials have said the technology and the testing would not be possible without the cooperation of local officials.
“The important thing, this underlines all the hard work we’ve done so far on this and really puts the icing on the cake with all the work we’ve done so far on this together and I think Honda’s whole goal in this is to show the local engagement as well as their engagement and how important it is to have that collaborative private-public partnership model that works here very well,” said Union County Economic Development Director Eric Phillips.
“A lot of talk has happened and now we are seeing a lot of things come together,” Phillips said of the Thursday event as well as a variety of projects associated with the community’s Connected 33 Corridor.
He said Marysville has signed an agreement with Drive Ohio to serve as an autonomous vehicle testing community.
Phillips explained that state’s General Assembly is holding a series of “interested party” meetings regarding connectivity and autonomous vehicle technology. He said later this month there will be a training session for developers and utility companies on how they can prepare for connected technology
“They have to be smarter about how they build infrastructure,” Phillips said.
He also said the proposed Automotive and Mobility Innovation Center has hired a consultant to “put together plans and basically budgetary plans and financial information.” He said the consultant could also work to market the center and firm plans for a potential data center.