Leading manufacturer of ITS product solutions AGD Systems will exhibit at this year’s ITS World Congress, 21-25 October, at Suntec Singapore Convention and Exhibition Centre.

The 26^th Intelligent Transport Systems World Congress is themed ‘Smart Mobility, Empowering Cities’, with more than 300 exhibitors taking part and over 10,000 delegates expected.

AGD Systems Pty will showcase two of its most successful product solutions at the event – the AGD 645 Pedestrian Detector, now with 10m x 3m detection zone, and the AGD 318 Traffic Control Radar.

The WiFi-enabled, IP-capable 645 Pedestrian Detector now has volumetric capability as part of the standard build, which allows monitoring of the level of pedestrian occupancy in the wait zone for safer, smarter pedestrian crossings. There is also new functionality for the non-intrusive, loop-replacing AGD 318 Traffic Control Radar, which now has the ability to detect stationary or queuing traffic. This, together with WiFi AGD Touch-setup technology and an enhanced user setup GUI, will facilitate a wide range of strategic applications.

AGD will also present its new 343 Highways Monitoring Radar at the show. Developed using the company’s experience and expertise in designing radars for highway speed enforcement, the AGD 343 is an easy-to-integrate traffic flow monitoring solution that provides real-time data on multi-lane highways.

The 343 can be mounted as close as 2m from inner edge of the inside lane of the carriageway and will still provide information for the lane immediately below the radar, as well as the lane on the farthest point of the carriageway – looking across both carriageways to detect vehicle travel in approaching and receding directions. It can be used almost anywhere for better-informed decision-making and optimised traffic flows and combines well with AGD’s enforcement solutions to offer a full product suite for UK smart motorways as well as international highways.

In a podcast ahead of the show, managing director of AGD Systems Pty in Australia, Stuart Douglas, said:  “We are looking to forward to bringing our product range to the Asian market.  Our highways monitoring radar will help improve the efficiency of their motorway systems, while our pedestrian detection solutions can help with the safety of vulnerable road users around their intersections, which is a major issue in the region.”

AGD Systems can be found on stand number B10 at ITS World Congress.

Leading manufacturer of ITS product solutions AGD Systems will exhibit at this year’s JCT Symposium, 17-18 September, at The Nottingham Conference Centre.

Now in its 24^th year, the event focuses on the traffic signals community and encompasses a symposium programme featuring topical presentations and an exhibition offering opportunities for delegates and exhibitors to catch up with industry colleagues and make new contacts.

AGD Systems will showcase its new suite of traffic and pedestrian control solutions for urban crossings and junction control: the 326 on-crossing detector, which optimises the crossing phase to give back more green time to traffic, the 641 detector, which monitors the wait area, providing enhanced night-time detection, and the large-zone 645 detector with volumetric capability.  The entire suite, including the new 306 MVD – the most compact wirelessly configurable FMCW traffic control radar available – benefits from safe, easy remote setup via smart phone or tablet with WiFi AGD Touch-setup.

Ian Hind, AGD’s commercial director, says: “We’re excited to be replacing our entire popular traffic control portfolio in 2019 with a new family of high-performance pedestrian and vehicle detectors for urban crossings and junction control.

“Customers will benefit from the ease, convenience and safety offered by WiFi AGD Touch-setup across the whole range, and a complementary suite of solutions that have been designed using valuable customer feedback for international as well as UK deployments.”

The WiFi-enabled, IP-capable 645 pedestrian detector now has volumetric capability as part of the standard build, which allows monitoring of the level of pedestrian occupancy in the wait zone for safer, smarter pedestrian crossings. There is also new functionality for the non-intrusive, loop-replacing AGD 318 traffic control radar, which now has the ability to detect stationary or queuing traffic. This, together with WiFi AGD Touch-setup technology and an enhanced user setup GUI, will facilitate MOVA installations and other strategic applications.

Visitors to the AGD stand will also be able to see and feel the latest patented Radix tactile solutions, complete with intelligent restart function, fitted to the award-winning 946 nearside signal.

AGD Systems, one of the UK’s leading manufacturers of ITS product solutions, has announced new appointments to further expand its commercial team.

Carl Jarvis was promoted to the newly created role of commercial engineering manager from 1^st May.  With a degree in Electrical and Electronic Engineering and nearly twenty years’ experience in related industries, Carl joined AGD in 2014 as commercial engineer. He brought to his new role his extensive knowledge and experience of deploying radars on multi-lane highways, having led a team that delivered the first radar vehicle detection system on an all-lane-running motorway scheme in the UK. Carl is also adept at facilitating overseas deployments and approvals of AGD’s enforcement portfolio, achieving optimum radar detector performance at clients’ sites around the world.

Two new employees have been appointed to the commercial team this spring. Dean Jarvis joined on 29^th April and brings with him extensive experience of radar installation and maintenance on the motorway network with ERH. Dean will support Carl in future MCH1529 UK approval activity for the AGD 343 this year, and provide UK and international customer support for this exciting new highway monitoring radar solution.

Daniel Roote took up his new role on 20^th May. Daniel has valuable technical customer support knowledge in other industries. He will be trained on the AGD 343 but will also contribute additional bandwidth to support AGD’s core traffic and pedestrian control customers as the company enhances the range further this year with the AGD 641 and 326.

Dean and Daniel join current team member Graham Thompson as commercial engineers, reporting to Carl Jarvis.

These new appointments strengthen the already successful AGD commercial team at a time of key worldwide expansion, says commercial director Ian Hind: “Dean and Daniel add to what is a very important customer support team and their appointment helps to underpin our continued emphasis on export in 2019. They are both well equipped to take new AGD product solutions, in particular the AGD 343 Highways Monitoring Radar, to international markets.”

AGD Systems, leading manufacturer of ITS product solutions, will exhibit at this year’s ITS European Congress, 2-6 June, Eindhoven, The Netherlands.

ITS European Congress is the largest event entirely dedicated to smart mobility and digitalisation of transport. At this year’s show, AGD will showcase its new suite of pedestrian solutions for 2019, and will share a stand with ITS (UK) and Videalert, a leading provider of CCTV enforcement solutions.

Later this year, AGD will be replacing its entire popular traffic portfolio with a new family of high-performance pedestrian and vehicle detectors for urban crossings and junction control.

The AGD 326 will allow optimisation of the crossing phase, giving back more green time to traffic. Suitable for UK and international deployment, it will feature dynamically adjustable range for new site designs. The 641 will offer a 4 x 2m zone for monitoring the pedestrian wait area and 3D stereo vision with self-IR illumination of zone for enhanced night-time detection. Both solutions will offer safe, easy remote setup via a smart phone or tablet with AGD Touch-setup.

Ian Hind, AGD’s commercial director, says: “Customers will benefit from the ease, convenience and safety offered by WiFi AGD Touch-setup across the whole range, and a complementary suite of solutions that have been designed using valuable customer feedback for international as well as UK deployments.”

As part of this comprehensive solutions suite, visitors to ITS European Congress can see AGD’s WiFi-enabled, IP-capable 645 Pedestrian Detector – now with 10m x 3m detection zone, and the non-intrusive, loop-replacing 318 Traffic Control Radar.

The 645 now has volumetric capability as part of the standard build, which allows monitoring of the level of pedestrian occupancy in the wait zone for safer, smarter pedestrian crossings. The 318 includes an important new function: the ability to detect stationary or queuing traffic. This, together with WiFi AGD Touch-setup technology and an enhanced user setup GUI, will facilitate MOVA installations and other strategic applications.

AGD will also present its new 343 Highways Monitoring Radar at the show. Developed using the company’s experience and expertise in designing radars for highway speed enforcement, the AGD 343 is an easy-to-integrate traffic flow monitoring solution that provides real-time data on multi-lane highways.

The 343 can be mounted as close as 2m from inner edge of the inside lane of the carriageway and will still provide information for the lane immediately below the radar, as well as the lane on the farthest point of the carriageway – looking across both carriageways to detect vehicle travel in approaching and receding directions. It can be used almost anywhere for better-informed decision-making and optimised traffic flows and combines well with AGD’s enforcement solutions to offer a full product suite for UK smart motorways as well as international highways.

AGD can be found on stand 0.74 at ITS European Congress 2019.

AGD Systems’ technology is powering the smart portable traffic lights in a new trial by UK Power Networks and Kent County Council that could see a 24% increase traffic flow through roadworks compared to traditional portable traffic lights, together with lower costs and improvements to air quality and safety.

The RadioConnect2 (RC2) traffic management system by Traffic Group Signals company Hollco uses AutoGreen radar technology, inspired by AGD’s smart motorway radar expertise, to automatically adjust portable signals to suit the volume of traffic travelling in each direction, minimising wait times for drivers.

AutoGreen accurately tracks vehicle movements and uses this information to optimise the operation of the lights, varying the decision-making algorithms and timings.

UK Power Networks, the country’s biggest electricity distributor, trialled the system recently on roadworks in Maidstone, Kent, as part of a project to upgrade an electrical junction box.  Kent County Council helped deliver the trial via its Lane Rental Innovation Fund.  Highway policy and inspections manager at Kent County Council, David Latham, said: “These lights never get tired or stop monitoring and optimising themselves to maximise traffic flow, ensuring that any disruption is kept to a minimum.  This technology is better for drivers and site operatives.”

Trials of the RC2 smart traffic light system have already taken place in Essex, Hertfordshire and Northamptonshire.  UK Power Networks said the findings from the Kent trial are currently being

considered and, if successful, smart TGS systems using AGD radars could in future be deployed across the county and the other areas the firm services.

With many local authorities aligning themselves to TOPAS (Traffic Open Products and Specifications) for traffic control and associated equipment, AGD is pleased to announce that its 318 Traffic Control Radar has now been accredited to TOPAS 2505A – which relates to its use on left- or right-turn filter lanes.

When above-ground radar is used on a filter lane, the standard MVD’s detection footprint is usually too wide, encroaching into the adjacent lanes. In addition, if the lane is short, further range reduction can only be achieved by pointing the radar down, which can cause false detections from the road surface.

The 318’s narrow beam, combined with the user’s ability to limit its range to within 1m, will overcome this issue, providing accurate detection for left- or right-turn filter lanes.

As more councils seek different technologies to keep detection out of the carriageway, and the 318 is a popular solution for MOVA, SD, bus, long shuttle and cycle applications.  AGD will pursue TOPAS accreditation for these applications over the coming months.

New video highlights benefits of AGD 343 Highways Monitoring Radar

AGD has created a video to illustrate the benefits of its new 343 Highways Monitoring Radar –

an easy-to-integrate traffic flow monitoring solution that provides real-time data on multi-lane highways. Designed for traffic profiling and incident detection, the 343 dramatically enhances highways safety, capability and efficiency.

Click here to view the video.

The 343 employs AGD’s proven enforcement-grade radar and measurement techniques to quantify speed, range and length of passing vehicles. MCH 1529 approved, it provides detailed traffic information on whether traffic is free-flowing, slowing or starting to queue, for instant decision-making.

The 343 offers reliable operation in managed motorway scenarios and ALR schemes.  The radar looks across both carriageways – up to 10 lanes – to detect vehicle travel in approaching and receding directions.

Simple to install, set up and configure, the 343 is pole-mounted – no need for lane closures or cutting the road surface.  Low lifetime cost and close to 100% up-time. Easily integrates with existing infrastructure and combines well with AGD’s enforcement solutions to offer a full product suite for UK motorways and international highways.

See the AGD 343 on stand E040 at this year’s Traffex, 2-4 April, NEC Birmingham.

AGD Systems has today announced a significant enhancement to its highly successful 645 Pedestrian Detector. From 1 March 2018, the AGD 645 optical kerbside detector will cover a 10m x 3m zone in standard build format. Until now, the 645 has offered a 5m x 3m detection zone, but this new version is capable of monitoring the new super-crossings that are increasingly being deployed internationally.

Ian Hind, AGD’s commercial director, commented: “Already seen in many locations worldwide, and particularly at modal intersections such as bus and rail stations, as well as in busy city centres, super-crossings are ever more prevalent. Now, just one of our 645 Pedestrian Detectors can cover an entire super-crossing, which can be up to 10m wide from pole to pole. We are anticipating a great deal of interest in this enhanced product, which we will be exhibiting at this year’s Intertraffic Amsterdam from 20 to 23 March.”

This high-performance product processes information on board with new chip-set and sophisticated algorithms for automated decision-making, to provide ultra-reliable detection. The AGD 645 employs a 3D HD stereo-vision optical sensor that detects moving and stationary targets. It has an outstanding capability to detect people while rejecting shadows, litter, leaves and other irrelevant distractions. The 645 also has IP and real-time video capabilities which allow it to feed data and pictures down the wire, straight into ITS control rooms, for truly informed, smart city decision-making.

The 645 is quick to set up using any WiFi device – smart-phone, tablet or laptop – with its unique and secure AGD Touch-setup that allows installers to configure the device in just a few clicks. Multiple AGD detectors may be set up at the same time from a safe position on the ground, or in a vehicle up to 100m away. Conveniently, the AGD 645 can be adjusted for zone changes just as quickly in the same way.

Customers can order trial samples of the new, larger zone AGD 645 Pedestrian Detector now, for delivery in May 2018.

AGD announces key enhancements to its 318 Traffic Control Radar

AGD Systems, one of the UK’s leading manufacturers of ITS product solutions, has just announced two major enhancements to its highly successful 318 Traffic Control Radar.

Premiering at this year’s JCT Symposium and Exhibition, the 318 now includes an important new function: the ability to detect stationary or queuing traffic. This, together with the addition of WiFi AGD Touch-setup technology and an enhanced user setup GUI, will facilitate MOVA installations and other strategic applications.

As more local authorities aim to eradicate in-ground detection from their road networks, thereby cutting the costs of installation, repair and ongoing maintenance, the AGD 318 provides a reliable, cost-effective alternative.

The AGD 318 was developed from enforcement-grade technology. It provides accurate virtual loop detection with speed discrimination, and can emulate two inductive loops to a range of 150m or provide lane-specific detection up to 40m for a range of applications.  Because it is pole-mounted, it requires no ducting or intrusive works to install, and there is no need for traffic management and the associated disruption to road users.

Now even easier to deploy, using WiFi AGD Touch-setup and an enhanced GUI, the AGD 318 is virtually maintenance-free and the detection zones can easily be changed or moved.

“The 318 detects vehicle type based on range, speed and direction of travel. It can now also accurately monitor queuing traffic,” says AGD’s commercial director Ian Hind. “This radar offers considerable customer flexibility for MOVA schemes, speed discrimination, bus priority and single turning movements – all with an ease of set-up that is unique to AGD. Using this technology will save city and local authorities many thousands of pounds while helping ensure optimal performance of roads, junctions and crossings.”

Leading manufacturer of ITS product solutions, AGD Systems Limited, has acquired Radix Traffic Limited as part of its ambitious plans for growth. Radix, which is based in Romsey, Hampshire, is the largest manufacturer of ‘rotating cone’ tactile equipment to assist visually impaired pedestrians at signalised crossings. Radix designs and manufactures its market-leading products in-house and has a customer base that is complementary to AGD’s.

Pete Hutchinson, managing director of AGD Systems, says: “As one of the largest manufacturers of nearside signal equipment in the UK market, AGD has been a very satisfied customer of Radix for many years. There’s a natural fit between our product ranges and this acquisition comes at an exciting time for us, allowing us to build on the Radix brand with AGD know-how. Putting it all together makes sense because it means customers can continue to benefit from the Radix best-in-class product but now as part of the bigger AGD portfolio.”

The Radix tactile indicator, when fitted to the familiar nearside signals, allows a blind or partially sighted person to hold a cone which protrudes from the signal. When it is safe to cross, the cone starts rotating as the green man appears. When Radix was evaluating the market in 1988, a survey indicated that some 5,000 tactile units would satisfy UK need. Today it is estimated that more than 200,000 tactiles are operating on Britain’s crossings and junctions.

The contribution to the traffic industry of Radix founders, Dick Duley and Milan Fuchs, in making life easier for vulnerable pedestrians cannot be underestimated. Dick spent more than 50 years in the industry, starting as an apprentice with GEC, holding several key industry positions and directorships during his career. Milan joined Dick at GEC in 1968, where he designed the first microprocessor-based traffic controller. Dick and Milan’s commercial and technical skills enabled them to give support and encouragement to the Radix management team, now headed by traffic industry professional Brian Cherry.

Brian will continue as a director of the Radix division of AGD Systems, maintaining continuity for customers and assisting with the transitioning of the product portfolio. Contact numbers for Radix remain unchanged, and customers are welcome to visit AGD’s stand D026 at Traffex to meet Brian and the AGD traffic and pedestrian control team.

For further information, interviews and high-resolution images please contact:

• Christina Relf, Real Word Communications – +44 (0) 1962 795173,
  [email protected]
• Ian Hind, Commercial Director, AGD Systems – +44 (0) 1452 854212, [email protected]
• Brian Cherry, Director, Radix Division, AGD Systems – +44 (0) 1794 511388, [email protected]