At this year's Austrian Road Safety Award AQUILA 2025, a project implemented by ÖAMTC Upper Austria was honoured, which is based on technology developed by AIT Austrian Institute of Technology. Using the Mobility Observation Box, an AI-supported system for the objective observation and analysis of traffic events, the project achieved third place in the ‘Associations and Institutions’ category.
The Mobility Observation Box was developed to record the behaviour of road users in real traffic situations in a data-based and anonymised manner. With the help of artificial intelligence, the system recognises movement patterns, conflict situations and misconduct – such as dangerous crossings, inappropriate speeds or conflicts between different modes of transport. The insights gained from this form a scientifically sound basis for targeted improvement measures in the transport infrastructure.
In the award-winning project by ÖAMTC Upper Austria, the Mobility Observation Box was used in front of a school to analyse traffic conditions in the vicinity of schoolchildren. The aim was to identify risk areas and sustainably increase safety on school routes. Detailed evaluation made it possible to visualise typical hazardous situations and derive recommendations for infrastructural and educational measures.
“With the Mobility Observation Box, we provide innovative technology that makes road safety objectively measurable and thus specifically improvable”, explains AIT road safety expert Michael Aleksa, who was present at the award ceremony in Vienna. “We are delighted that our joint work with ÖAMTC has received this important recognition.”
The AQUILA Prize is awarded every two years by the Austrian Road Safety Board (KFV) in conjunction with the Austrian Association of Municipalities and the Austrian Association of Cities and Towns. Under this year's theme of ‘Change of Perspective,’ projects were honoured that take innovative approaches to finding new ways to increase road safety.
In addition to the ÖAMTC project with AIT participation, the ÖAMTC's “Experience Driving Physics” mobility programme was also awarded the main prize. Both projects illustrate how practical and technology-based approaches make an important contribution to greater road safety.