RoboK was selected as one of three winners of a National Highways innovation competition, run with Connected Places Catapult, to trial AI-based technologies that reduce the impact of roadworks on drivers, businesses and local communities.
Ten finalists each received up to £15,000 earlier in 2023 to test the feasibility of their ideas. Three were then chosen to run real-world trials on England's motorways and A-roads from January 2024, each with up to £60,000 of funding. The competition was funded through National Highways' Designated Funds, a ring-fenced budget for initiatives that benefit road users, the environment and communities.
The three winners were:
Roadworks are among the most hazardous environments on the network, for the people working in them and for the drivers passing through. RoboK's trial applied the same approach it uses on ports and industrial sites: analyse footage from the cameras already in place to see how vehicles and people actually move around the works, and turn that into information planners and site teams can act on.
Nicola Bell, National Highways Executive Director for Major Projects, said: "Roadworks are frustrating but they are an essential part of managing our roads."
Hao Zheng, co-founder and CEO of RoboK, said: "This project has the potential to unlock rich information to drive informed decisions."
RoboK is a University of Cambridge spinout. Its product, SiteLens, turns footage from existing cameras into safety and operational intelligence for ports, logistics, construction and industrial sites. Read more on the company page, or see how we think about safety.
Source: Connected Places Catapult, 6 December 2023. Also reported by Highways Magazine and The Construction Index.