The New Roadmap: Leveraging Rugged Edge Computing for Transportation

 

Challenge:

• Management of various vendors, hardware solutions, and setups was challenging.
• Supply chain problems led to delayed schedules and unmet deadlines.
• Lack of vendor support, adaptability, and skill hindered innovation in toll systems.
• Partner with an expert in industrial computing for efficient and consistent solutions.

Solution:

• C&T served as an all-in-one source for technical expertise, advice, and punctual product shipments.
• Partnership fostered genuine comprehension and choices aligned with requirements and expansion plans.
• C&T provided unified, smart systems, outperforming varied and less efficient vendor alternatives.
• The RCO-6000-RPL AI Edge Inference Computer by C&T offers advanced processing, storage, and connectivity with modular designs.
• C&T's EDGEBoost Nodes and EDGEBoost I/O deliver powerful components for personalized setups and hardware speed enhancement.

Benefits:

• C&T delivers on project timelines with superior equipment, distinguishing their Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS).
• The collaboration has led to streamlined and more straightforward operations and management.
• The project's success has funded the expansion of the company's global presence.
• A dedicated C&T team has provided consistent support, advice, and quick problem resolution.
• C&T ensures the prompt delivery of products through efficient supply chain management.
• The partnership has resulted in enhanced ITS, meeting deadlines and budgets, and surpassing expectations.
• The proven and adaptable solution can be reused in various projects and areas, due to its modular design and features.

Background

The expanding global population presents significant transportation challenges, as more than existing roads and highways are needed to manage increased traffic volumes. Recognizing this issue, various regions worldwide are adopting multi-modal transportation strategies to alleviate congestion and provide residents with alternative travel options, enabling smoother journeys from one location to another.  

A key strategy in addressing these transportation challenges is the introduction of tolling systems. These systems allow for the use of certain roadways, bridges, and tunnels on a fee-based basis. The funds collected from these tolls are typically reinvested into the transportation network, financing the construction of new infrastructure, maintaining existing facilities, and enhancing overall transportation services. By maintaining infrastructure in optimal condition, these measures not only improve safety but also reduce the risk of accidents. Furthermore, tolling systems effectively regulate traffic flow, especially during peak hours, by encouraging commuters not to travel at these times, thereby reducing overall traffic congestion.  

MarketsandMarkets report forecasts that the electronic toll collection market, valued at USD 8.3 billion in 2022, is expected to reach USD 11.4 billion by 2027. The market is anticipated to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.5% between 2022 and 2027.

A multinational company leading in intelligent transport systems (ITS) aims to enhance its multi-lane free-flow tolling solutions through industrial computing integration. This approach enables seamless deployment across roadside and back-office operations, facilitating efficient electronic toll collection via vehicle tags or license plate recognition. Industrial computing adoption ensures streamlined processes and robust management of functions.
 

Video Source: Washington State Dept. of Transportation

These toll solutions facilitate vehicle passage and comprehensive user account management, leveraging industrial computing for diverse payment options and enhanced enforcement capabilities. With industrial computing, the system offers both pre-payment and post-payment methods, catering to different user needs. Additionally, the integration enhances the system's ability to effectively identify and manage violations through advanced technologies like machine learning and real-time data processing. This ensures efficient violator detection and handling. By integrating industrial computing, these toll solutions provide seamless operations, robust account management, and effective enforcement, ensuring a streamlined and secure tolling experience.
 

The Challenge

The Solution

Initial discussions between the tolling system company's technical and business teams and C&T led to a profound insight into the challenges at hand. These conversations enabled C&T to tailor a business support strategy that leveraged optimal solutions.  

Consequently, C&T suggested utilizing the RCO-6000-RPL AI Edge Inference Computer due to its extensive functionalities. This device is versatile enough to handle both basic and complex tasks. The network video recorder (NVR) solution from C&T supports a broad spectrum of processors, ranging from Raptor Lake® to Alder Lake®, offering a scalable solution for diverse computing needs across different projects without the need for altering the fundamental hardware architecture or managing different sets of drivers/BIOS/OS. The RCO-6000-RPL AI Edge Inference Computers are designed for superior edge AI performance, featuring fast NVMe storage, customizable modular I/O, and wireless capabilities, all within a durable case.  
 

The units feature a rugged and high-performing socket-type processor architecture, ensuring great modularity. They incorporate C&T's EDGEBoost Nodes and EDGEBoost I/O modules, which act as dynamic building blocks for tailor-made setups demanding hardware acceleration. This modularity supports enhanced I/O and storage options, adaptable for future technological growth. For instance, the EDGEBoost I/O modules provide scalable and modular M.2 NVMe storage, accommodating up to four M.2 B-key NVMe (sizes 2242/3042/3052) or two M.2 M-key (sizes 2242/2260) SSDs, enabling high-speed storage capabilities in a durable, fanless structure. NVMe SSDs are crucial for high-speed data read/write operations and essential for local, real-time processing of critical information, such as toll transaction data. The platform acknowledges the growing demands for automation and real-time processing, leading to a higher requirement for I/O connectivity. Its modular daughterboards merge various analog and digital tasks, offering the flexibility to tailor I/O resources to meet specific requirements of edge deployments.

The Benefits

C&T has reliably delivered top-notch equipment that aligns with project timelines. Their strategy of using modular components for robust computing, primarily through EDGEBoost Nodes and EDGEboost I/Os, has proven to be both scalable and adaptable to the software integration needs of the tolling system. Their RCO-6000-RPL AI Edge Inference computer excels in processing large data volumes and making critical decisions in real-time due to its advanced features, resulting in improved situational response, reduced latency, and crucial insights from actionable intelligence.  

The standout feature of the RCO-6000-RPL AI Edge Inference computer is its two-piece modular structure, which enables customizable configurations for varied workloads and easy upgrades with next-generation processors within C&T's EDGEboost range. This flexibility supports various enhancements, from NVMe and high-density SATA storage to GPU/M.2 acceleration for machine learning tasks, aligning with the ITS provider's need for a versatile, robust, and fanless design, thus streamlining their operations and management.  

Moreover, C&T has shown exceptional customer service, providing dedicated support and streamlined supply chain processes. Initially, they supplied a batch of RCO-6000-RPL units for testing, which met the expectations perfectly, reinforcing the company's trust in C&T's solutions. This trust led to avoiding pre-deployment validation, a choice that has proven beneficial as all systems have operated flawlessly.  

The company's executive vice president for design highlighted the ease and efficiency C&T's solutions have brought to their projects, emphasizing the smooth and professional relationship established from the start. C&T's meticulous planning and stock management have ensured that the company's and clients' needs are consistently met.  

This collaborative approach has helped meet deadlines and allowed the ITS company to streamline engineering efforts, focusing more on project execution. This efficiency has facilitated the development of intelligent, secure tolling systems, enhancing safety and sustainability. The relationship with C&T is more than just transactional; it's a trusted partnership supporting ongoing infrastructure improvement and business growth.

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