Feds Begin Connected Vehicle Testing

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is beginning real-world trials of cars equipped with prototype vehicle-to-vehicle technology, deploying a communication network where cars can talk with one another to increase overall road safety.

Starting in August, 2012, the agency will begin gathering data from 3,000 cars equipped with wireless communication technology. Known as The Safety Pilot, the trials will run for one year in Ann Arbor, Mich., to provide data for setting V2V standards and determining what data streams are most helpful.

NHTSA administrator David Strickland says V2V could be a “game changer” for safety, and it’s easy to see why.
While existing active safety systems can only respond to immediate threats, connected cars can prevent otherwise unforeseen accidents through instant communication. In other words, a car equipped with active braking can prevent an imminent rear-end collision in traffic, but only a V2V equipped car can sense the out-of-control driver about to speed around a blind curve in the wrong lane.

To read how vehicle-to-vehicle technology will work follow the www.wired.com link.