Vaisala’s Mobile Detector MD30

First published at ITS America - June 7, 2019

Ploughing a snowy road is one thing; knowing exactly the road’s surface condition is another.

Enter Vaisala’s Mobile Detector MD30. It attaches to the snowplough behind the plough unit and just ahead of one of the vehicle’s front wheels to monitor the surface condition of the cleared road.

Bert Murillo of Vaisala

Many times after ploughing a road, a spreader – either attached to the back of the plough or following the plough – will spread more than enough grit and salt to make the road safer for vehicles. There is an overcompensation of material mainly because the state of the surface remains unknown except for the fact that it has been cleared of snow.

Vaisala says that its MD30 is the first road surface state sensor designed specifically for snowplough. It transmits data — surface temperature, grip, relative humidity, dew point and road and air temperature via Bluetooth – to the snowplough cab where the driver can see the results on his phone. The data can also be sent to a central control centre for a larger picture of a regional road network.

The MD30 is designed to withstand the heavy vibration of snowploughing. The hood of the sensor uses a holed double structure that directs air flow to protect the sensor lens and keep it clean.

Booth 661