Testing for a new vehicle-to-vehicle communication system is beginning this week on a specially arranged road course at the Michigan International Speedway (MIS). The US Department of Transportation is examining systems that use “communication-based safety warnings” to reduce the number of traffic accidents by alerting the driver when there is a risk of a crash or other safety driving hazard. Eight carmakers, including Ford Motor Company, General Motors LLC., Honda R&D Americas, Inc., Hyundai-Kia America Technical Center, Inc., Mercedes-Benz Research and Development North America, Inc., Nissan Technical Center North America, Inc., Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc. and Volkswagen Group of America, are taking part in this project as members of the Vehicle Safety Communications 3 (VSC3) Consortium. About 100 local drivers have been recruited to drive specially modified cars and test the systems for this project. “Each clinic will include about 16 cars equipped with technology applications which drivers will evaluate as they use the vehicles in a controlled environment designed to simulate real roadways and intersections.” Simulated intersections, traffic signals, and other configurations have been laid out on the MIS grounds to test situations and equipment as a first step toward deployment of these systems. The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) is expected to make a decision in 2013 about whether or not this technology is sufficiently developed that it can begin to be deployed in new cars. via: Michigan Radio
Read the rest here:Â
USDOT Begins Testing Smart Transportation Systems