Road weather and traffic
Road weather information systems (RWIS) need road surface condition, not just air temperature. The ZTS road weather station combines weather sensing, visibility and non-contact pavement condition detection in one integrated unit.
What a road weather information system (RWIS) needs
Gritting and traffic management decisions depend on knowing road surface condition, not just air temperature. A road weather station combines a compact weather sensor, a visibility sensor and a non-contact road/pavement sensor, reporting through one interface so traffic operators see a single feed per site.
The ZTS road weather station
The ZTS integrates three sensing modules in one station: a ZWS600 compact weather sensor (temperature, humidity, pressure, wind, rainfall), a ZVS visibility sensor (5m-80km range, forward and backward scattering), and a ZRS road status sensor. The ZRS uses non-contact near-infrared laser measurement to report road temperature, and to classify the surface as dry, wet, water, ice or snow with thickness readings from 0-10mm and a slip coefficient from 0.00-1, without needing to touch the road surface.
Standalone components
Where a full station isn't needed, the ZVS visibility sensor and ZRS road sensor are also available individually, useful for retrofitting visibility or surface-condition monitoring onto an existing weather station, or for airport pavement monitoring where road-specific integration isn't relevant.
Comparison advantage over generic stations
Zata's own published comparison data for the ZTS shows piezoelectric rainfall sensing (claimed higher accuracy, lower false alarm rate than photoelectric, radar or tipping-bucket alternatives), no wind data jumps down to -40°C, and an anti-condensation function as standard, differentiators aimed specifically at exposed roadside and bridge installations.
Where these are deployed
Expressways, urban roads, bridges, highway tunnels and mountainous roads are the stated use cases for the ZTS, with airport pavement monitoring as a separate use case for the standalone ZRS sensor.
Relevant products
Frequently asked questions
Does the road sensor touch the road surface?+
No. The ZRS uses non-contact near-infrared laser measurement from above the road surface, reporting road temperature and surface condition (dry, wet, water, ice, snow) without physical contact, which avoids wear from traffic and snowplough activity.
Can I buy the visibility and road sensors separately from the full station?+
Yes, the ZVS visibility sensor and ZRS road sensor are both available as standalone products, useful for adding visibility or surface-condition monitoring to an existing weather station rather than replacing the whole installation.
What visibility range does the road weather station cover?+
The ZVS visibility sensor integrated into the ZTS covers 5 metres to 80 kilometres, with accuracy figures that vary by range band, sufficient for both dense fog conditions and clear-day visibility reporting.