New technology could make freeways safer

[celinaB]

It may soon be possible for cars to talk to each other and warn drivers of potential hazards. Automakers and the governments alike are both looking seriously at the new technology. If implemented, this system has the potential to greatly reduce highway accidents and fatalities.



System better than radar was



Global Positioning System and WiFi are used together with the new technology that is better than radar. Every 10 seconds, a signal is emitted by the system 360 degrees around it. It goes for 900 feet to communicate with automobiles. Flashing red lights and beeps are used to alert the driver of hazards with the technology.



Where automakers will be in the future



This is no ordinary technology. Ford has worked on it for over a decade of time. "Ford believes intelligent cars that talk to each other through advanced WiFi are the next frontier of collision avoidance innovations that could revolutionize the driving experience," said Sue Cischke, Ford's group vice president of sustainability, environment and safety engineering.



All about 'Road Trains'



The first successful "road train" occurred recently with Volvo involvement. Vehicles are able to mimic one another because they're electronic while they are platooning in road trains. The flow of traffic is safer and more efficient with it.



"Platooning offers the prospect of improved road safety, better road space utilization, improved driver comfort on long journeys and reduced fuel consumption and hence CO2 emissions," said Tom Robinson, spokesperson for the project.



Nobody gets hurt



Peter Appel said "This technology has the potential to save a lot of lives." Appel is at the Department of Transportation as the administrator of Research and Innovative Technology Administration. Without the factor of drugs and alcohol, the system could reduce accidents by 80 percent according to the DOT.



Tech is cheap



As little as $100 per car is needed to get the technology put in. The system's low cost would allow manufacturers to put it in both luxury and economy models.



Getting technology before 2013 possible requirement



Six United States cities will start in August doing Driver Acceptance Clinics. They will be done by the U.S. Department of Transportation. When the clinics are completed, the technology might be spread quickly. The DOT is planning on putting it in the vehicles on the nation's highways easily. The technology could become mandatory as early as 2013, when federal officials are scheduled to make their decision.



Information from



MSNBC

editorial.autos.msn.com/article.aspx?cp-documentid=1184897



Washington Post

washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/01/25/AR2011012506232.html



Wired

wired.com/autopia/2011/01/talking-cars-are-coming-soon-to-keep-us-safe/

[Ciro Pabón]

Sorry to interrupt, girls. Nice to have posters with one post in their history and posting posts with links to other sites. Mods love that.

On thread, the idea of automated trains of cars was discarded years ago by the FHWA. You might like to check the Transportation Research Board magazine (TRB), I'm sure the article is interred there somewhere.

The problem? Well, not all cars have the same friction coefficient. Cars with new tyres can brake harder. So, in a regular train, with cars having different tyres, in different states of wear, if there is the need for a sudden stop and cars are as close to each other as the system originally proposed (increased car density is the main advantage of the system), what you get is a crash.

Now, if you take in consideration the variation in tyre wear, the distances you have to leave between cars are practically the same people leave today without computers, wires under the pavement, sensors and complicated automated systems that will fail frequently, etcetera, making moot the whole purpose of the exercise.

So... no. Unless new tyres for every car are part of the package, which are not.

[mep]

Reminds me of the traffic control system used in Airplanes.
It already failed and killed people. Having something similar for cars is not really increasing safety as soon as people switch off their mind and just rely on the system.