Pedestrian Counting at High-Density Crosswalks in Sunnyvale, CA ​

  • Context and Location

  • Technology

  • Methodology

Intersection

Using LiDAR Sensors for Pedestrian Detection

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Using LiDAR Sensors, Seyond Intersection Management Platform (SIMPL)  is a privacy-friendly solution that can detect and analyze the presence of pedestrians at crosswalks, providing cities with critical insights on pedestrian movements.​

Seyond conducted a performance test of SIMPL at a high-traffic intersection in Sunnyvale, California. With 6 lanes per approach, a school on one side and a convenient store on the other, this intersection is heavily used by both vehicles and pedestrians. 
Seyond Falcon Prime LiDAR 1200 x 800

LiDAR sensors and edge box

Seyond used one Falcon Prime LiDAR sensor mounted on a temporary poll along with an edge box using Seyond’s perception software (v1.3). To act a ground truth, a camera was also installed to be able to manually count the pedestrians crossing the intersection. 

High-density

Comparing LiDAR against manual visual count

The test was conducted during the school lunch break, a peak period for pedestrian activity. Throughout the test, manual counting recorded 768 pedestrians, while SIMPL detected 708 pedestrians. During peak times, when over 35 people were at the crosswalk simultaneously, the high density made it challenging to manually count pedestrians with a high degree of confidence. 

RESULT SUMMARY

The LiDAR-based solution had a 92% accuracy rate

Given the pedestrian density at the crosswalk, the SIMPL system demonstrated strong performance with an overall accuracy rate of 92.19%. Notably, one crosswalk reached an accuracy of 98%, indicating the system's potential. However, these findings suggest that adding a second LiDAR sensor on the opposite side of the intersection could further improve accuracy. 

Sunnyvale VRU Count Results

In Summary

Overall, these results confirm SIMPL's reliability and effectiveness in complex and high-density environments, reaffirming its potential as a robust solution for intersection management. As we continue to refine and optimize the system, we are confident that SIMPL will meet and exceed the evolving demands of modern traffic management. 

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