Brigade Electronics showcased its latest bus safety technologies at STNEXPO West in Reno, introducing attendees to advanced AI pedestrian detection, mobile digital recording, AI dashboard solutions, 360-degree and passenger vision systems, and a new preventative solution designed to help protect students during loading and unloading.
This marked Brigade’s first participation in STNEXPO West, an informative and engaging event that brought together school transportation professionals focused on student safety. The expo’s Alice in Wonderland-inspired “Wonderland of Ideas” theme created a lively setting for conversations, demonstrations, and collaboration among attendees and exhibitors.
Edward Renna, Brigade Western Regional Business Development Manager, said, “STNEXPO West is an important event for Brigade. The energy and commitment of the attendees reflect the industry’s shared focus on student safety.”
Advanced bus safety technology introduced:
At the event, Brigade demonstrated a range of safety solutions, including advanced AI pedestrian detection technology, mobile digital recording, AI dashboard solutions, 360-degree camera systems, and passenger vision systems. The company also introduced its latest preventative solution focused on one of the most critical moments in student transportation: loading and unloading.
Although recent reporting indicates some progress in reducing incidents during student loading and unloading, the continued risk to students makes this an urgent area for innovation and improvement. The primary causes of these incidents according to NHTSA studies include:
· Students enter a bus driver’s blind spot while retrieving or carrying objects.
· Motorists illegally pass a stopped bus despite an activated stop arm.
· Students move through blind zones while crossing in front of or behind the vehicle, depending on the route and crossing path.
· Misinterpretation of a bus driver’s hand signal by another road user, creating confusion at the exact moment a student may begin crossing.
· Inattentive students during loading/unloading process.
Although stop-arm cameras have proven to be an effective enforcement and documentation tool, they do not fully address the primary causes of loading and unloading incidents.
Corey Heniser, Brigade Electronics Inc’s CEO, states “Presented with the issues, our engineering team was tasked with developing a truly preventative tool that would effectively warn the students and bus driver when a student was in danger. The result is a technology designed to go beyond recording and reporting by helping prevent incidents during the critical loading and unloading process.”
The new solution consists of a specialty radar, AI, and algorithms to detect time to collision between a student and the object moving towards them. When activated, the system monitors the detection zone, then provides an external audible and visual alert to those outside the bus of the danger when a moving vehicle is not slowing down and within 4 seconds of a probable collision. This gives the student or bus driver time to react to prevent the collision.
Brigade is currently beta testing this solution. Organizations interested in participating as real-world testers and providing feedback are encouraged to contact Teresa Prisbrey at Teresa.prisbrey@brigade-inc.com. Beta opportunities are limited and will be assigned in the order requests are received. Thank you to all the attendees that voted for our new safety solution and to the STNEXPO team for creating an event where ideas, education, and great times come together to keep our students safe.
