Smart Radar System Enhances School Bus Safety at Florida District
New radar technology detects pedestrians near the bus and passengers inside to improve school bus safety by reducing the risk of collisions and increasing blind spot detection. One Florida district piloted the tech on its buses.
Smart Radar System’s technology is demonstrated on one of the School District of Osceola County’s buses.
Photo: School District of Osceola County
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The School District of Osceola County’s transportation department teamed up with Smart Radar System, a Korean technology company making radar sensors that offer collision avoidance and blind spot detection. Together, they piloted 4D radar technology to improve school bus safety.
Smart Radar System specializes in advanced detection solutions that use radar to monitor vehicle surroundings in real-time, electronically scanning for pedestrians around and under the bus when it is stopped. It alerts drivers of people near the bus through LED lights and audio alarms.
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Through this collaboration, select Osceola school buses have been equipped with Smart Radar's sensors to test capabilities such as blind-spot detection, pedestrian awareness, and collision prevention. This radar detection system includes both internal and external sensors around the bus and on the undercarriage.
The passenger compartment also features sensors that detect passengers inside by registering individual heartbeats, lowering the risk of overlooking children left on the bus, a local news site reported.
District transportation leaders stand with Smart Radar System staff at the Florida Association for Pupil Transportation summer conference last month.
Photo: School District of Osceola County
In September 2024, the system was approved by the Florida Department of Education, paving the way for wider use in school transportation. Since then, several other school districts have expressed interest in this technology.
The system provides real-time data and advanced monitoring to ensure safe stops and smoother transportation. By alerting school bus drivers to potential hazards they may not immediately notice, the system provides an additional layer of protection for the nearly 27,000 students in the district.
Smart Radar representatives joined district officials at the most recent Florida Association for Pupil Transportation (FAPT) conference to showcase the system in action and demonstrate its potential to other districts. Feedback from Osceola’s drivers and mechanics will help determine how the solution might be scaled across the district in the future.
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Beyond school buses, Smart Radar is exploring additional applications for its technology, including city transit buses, mobile showers for homeless outreach programs, and integration with automatic braking systems to help mitigate accidents caused by distracted drivers.
“This collaboration reflects Osceola County’s continued commitment to investing in safe, forward-thinking transportation for its students — and the growing role of technology in protecting lives on the road,” a district representative said.
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