Largest Field Trial Worldwide Set for Car-to-X
10-17-2011 by Environment News Service
Resume:
Car-to-X communication systems to enhance road safety are set for a major testing campaign in Germany next spring.
These systems can be used to warn drivers of dangers around the next bend such as fog, black ice, or accidents blocking traffic.
Car-to-X and car-to-car communication systems utilize Wireless Local Area Network radio technology, which enables them to rapidly transmit warnings in time to prevent accidents.
The vehicles themselves serve as transmitters or receivers of information, which they can also forward to other vehicles like a relay runner passing a baton.
The critical situations are registered by existing onboard safety systems.
In the future, it may also be possible to have vehicles communicate with roadside beacons in order to optimize traffic flows and prevent the formation of traffic jams.
A breakthrough in the wireless exchange of information among vehicles and between vehicles and the traffic infrastructure has been achieved by a research consortium headed by Daimler AG, a founding member of the CAR 2 CAR Communication Consortium.
Daimler and partners presented the project, called Safe Intelligent Mobility - test field Germany (simTD), in Friedberg, Hesse last week, following three years of intensive work.
They announced that from the spring of 2012, around 120 vehicles will be testing the new technology in real road traffic in the Rhine-Main region - the largest field trial for Car-to-X communication to date anywhere in the world.
"We are convinced that Car-to-X communication represents an important step on the way to accident-free driving," said simTD overall project coordinator Dr. Christian Weiss, who also heads the Cooperating Systems team in the Research and Advance Development department at Daimler AG.
Weiss said the use of Car-to-X systems extends the vehicle's "telematic horizon" or field of vision.
In addition to safety applications, the system can provide comfort functions such as suggested routes to the nearest available car park.
By enabling the control of traffic signal systems, Car-to-X communication can also help to optimize traffic flows, contributing to efficient and thus sustainable mobility.
simTD is a joint project of German automobile manufacturers, automotive parts suppliers, communications companies, research institutes and the public sector.
simTD is sponsored and supported by the federal Ministries of Economics and Technology, Education and Research, Transport, Building and Urban Affairs and the State of Hesse.
In the United States, the Connected Vehicle Task Force focuses on technical and institutional issues related to the deployment of short range Vehicle-to-Vehicle, Vehicle-to-Infrastructure and Vehicle-to-Device (V2X) applications.
V2X technology or “WiFi on wheels” is the next major step in improving highway safety and transportation mobility and convenience.
Like Car-to-X, the V2X technology allows cars to talk to neighboring vehicles, or traffic lights at up to highway speeds.
It is anticipated that the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration will conduct a rulemaking on V2X utilizing Dedicated Short Range Communications in 2013.
Categories: Connected mobility - Road safety
Keywords: Accidents - Brakes - Infrastructure - safety
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