The simple and inexpensive experimental Actibump system from the Swedish company Edeva reminds drivers who drive too fast of the speed limit. We will tell you exactly how Actibump works now.
The Actibump technology has a simple principle of operation. Radars in front of the established monitoring zone measure the speed of the approaching vehicle. If the driver exceeds the speed limit, the system detects it and automatically sends a command to the control unit. A valve built into the road surface at ground level opens, creating a transverse channel six centimeters deep.
This is how an artificial hole appears on the road surface. It is clearly visible to the driver, but at speed he cannot avoid a tangible shock. It will not do any harm, but it will “remind“ you of your speed. If the driver drives at the speed limit, the road remains level.
The presence of the system is announced in advance by road signs and road markings. This gives drivers enough time to check their speed and correct it if necessary.
Of course, there may be exceptions. They are intended for ambulances, fire engines and police cars. For their unhindered passage, special transponders are issued, which temporarily disable the system.
All road users driving at the speed limit do not even notice the system. Cyclists can pass by the steel plates.
Such a system is particularly effective at school entrances, in front of unregulated busy intersections and at the entrances to places of mass recreation. The developers from Edeva note that Actibump can be used effectively in front of toll booths or customs checkpoints, as well as in places where many pedestrians cross between vehicles.
If the car is in good technical condition, there will be no damage from a 6-centimeter hole and the obstacle when exiting it. The company also notes that the device will not interfere with mechanical street cleaning and snow removal, as is often the case due to uneven surfaces.
A system with a price tag of two lanes costs about 45,000 euros. Swedish manufacturer Edeva has already installed over 100 such devices in the Scandinavian countries. The first Actibump was installed in Linköping, Sweden, back in 2010.
The installations operate at sites in the Swedish capital Stockholm, as well as in smaller cities along the road network of the Swedish Transport Administration. There are such installations even in Australia, not to mention the much closer Iceland.
This is practically the same “downward policeman“, with the only difference being that the ones familiar to us act on everyone and are with the protrusion up, while the Actibump with the hole down does the same, but only for those who exceed the speed limit.