Michigan plans to test thermal cameras on public transit vehicles to reduce accidents with cyclists and pedestrians.

The state Department of Transportation (MDOT) received a federal grant worth $551,732 to help fund the program, officials announced Wednesday (Oct. 30).

Up to 60 vehicles, ranging from vans to buses and large coaches, will test the cameras in urban and rural settings.

The first transportation agencies participating in the program include Blue Water Area Transit, based in Port Huron, the City of Alma, the South Central Michigan Community Action Agency, based in Battle Creek, and the Regional Transit Authority of southeast Michigan, based in Detroit/Ann Arbor.

Jean Ruestman, administrator of MDOT’s Office of Passenger Transportation, said the program could be a game-changer for transit agencies across the country.

“Although some high-end automobiles are equipped with thermal cameras, no transit vehicles currently have this technology. So my staff has worked hard to research this technology, make contacts and apply for this grant to make it a reality ” Ruestman said.

Bus-person collisions caused 7,329 injuries and 537 deaths nationwide between 2008 and 2021, according to the National Transit Database.

Michigan’s annual traffic crash data does not include the type of vehicle used in a crash involving a pedestrian or bicycle, but 2,114 pedestrians and 1,480 cyclists were involved in vehicle crashes in 2023. These Accidents resulted in the deaths of 183 pedestrians and 24 cyclists. .

Related: Michigan reports 4-year high for cyclists, pedestrians hit by vehicles

Brett Baublitz, transportation director for the Alma Transportation Center, said thermal camera systems could also help drivers detect incoming deer earlier to avoid costly accidents.

The grant comes from the Federal Highway Administration’s Advanced Transportation Technology and Innovation program.

Other partners in the program include Magna Electronics, which makes thermal cameras; Lynred, which manufactures thermal sensors; and Menlo Innovations, an Ann Arbor-based software company that will provide transit providers with reports on the rest of the program.