The Internet police have cracked down on peer-to-peer file sharing as a result of pressure from the music and recording industries. Vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communication would be music to the ears of municipal police and drivers if it works the way developers plan.
The Transportation Research Institute at the University of Michigan, along with the U.S. Department of Transportation, began a project last fall to study the effectiveness of V2V communication in real-life situations. The $25 million in-vivo experiment follows the driving activities of 2,800 local residents who volunteered to have their vehicles equipped with the the transmitters and receivers. The vehicles will not only communicate with their drivers via audio and visual alerts, but also with devices installed at various street corners and intersections. The study is scheduled to last through the summer of 2013.
The Transportation Research Institute at the University of Michigan, along with the U.S. Department of Transportation, began a project last fall to study the effectiveness of V2V communication in real-life situations. The $25 million in-vivo experiment follows the driving activities of 2,800 local residents who volunteered to have their vehicles equipped with the the transmitters and receivers. The vehicles will not only communicate with their drivers via audio and visual alerts, but also with devices installed at various street corners and intersections. The study is scheduled to last through the summer of 2013.
How It Works
Ray LaHood, the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Transportation, said smart cars could ultimately reduce traffic accidents by up to 80 percent. The dedicated short-range communication technology allows equipped vehicles to warn drivers of road hazards, of imminent collisions and can even tell a red light to turn green when no other traffic is around.
LaHood told Annarbor.com that the study will determine whether a federal mandate can be implemented requiring every vehicle on the road to be equipped with the technology. The biggest hurdle, besides the effectiveness of the program, is cost. But Consumer Reports noted the price is nothing compared to the savings on medical bills (which it estimates to be $99 billion annually) and the lives saved because safer cars of V2V communication.
LaHood told Annarbor.com that the study will determine whether a federal mandate can be implemented requiring every vehicle on the road to be equipped with the technology. The biggest hurdle, besides the effectiveness of the program, is cost. But Consumer Reports noted the price is nothing compared to the savings on medical bills (which it estimates to be $99 billion annually) and the lives saved because safer cars of V2V communication.
Automated Traffic Fines
Researchers at Carlos III University in Madrid said the automated systems could work with existing V2V technology to send driving violations directly to the vehicle through municipalities. The ticket-administration program, known as Communications and Information Technologies (CITs), would allow drivers to report who is breaking the law, while allowing offenders to communicate with nearby drivers to ask them to act as witnesses. According to an Arizona car dealership, some cars are already being equipped with communication systems for emergencies.
There is no indication that CITs are part of the University of Michigan plan, but several U.S. states are dealing with the realities of automated traffic citations already. Arizona removed speed cameras from its freeways in 2010 for several reasons, but mostly because of complaints. Most saw the cameras as an abuse of technology and a money grab for the state. There were also legal issues with the citations, with many offenders choosing to simply ignore them when they arrived in mailboxes. The citations, which are de-facto summonses to court, were technically illegal since a police officer did not physically hand it to the offender.
Mike Shulman of Ford Research told caradvice.com that even if the study proves successful, the systems could not be nationally implemented for at least six years.
There is no indication that CITs are part of the University of Michigan plan, but several U.S. states are dealing with the realities of automated traffic citations already. Arizona removed speed cameras from its freeways in 2010 for several reasons, but mostly because of complaints. Most saw the cameras as an abuse of technology and a money grab for the state. There were also legal issues with the citations, with many offenders choosing to simply ignore them when they arrived in mailboxes. The citations, which are de-facto summonses to court, were technically illegal since a police officer did not physically hand it to the offender.
Mike Shulman of Ford Research told caradvice.com that even if the study proves successful, the systems could not be nationally implemented for at least six years.
