Intelligent Cars Alert Each Other to Hazards

Green light for the largest fleet test for car-to-X communication worldwide

From:  Technische Universitat Munchen

The largest field test for vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-infrastructure communication (car-to-X communication) worldwide is about to get under way. Scientists, auto makers and communication companies as well as public-sector institutions have teamed up to develop a system that allows cars to share information on traffic conditions and impending hazards. The aim is to promote a safer, more efficient flow of traffic.

Researchers from the Technische Universität München (TUM) are currently involved in devising the test scenarios that 120 vehicles will use to put the system dubbed simTD through its paces on Germany’s roads next spring.

The vehicles will use simTD, a car-to-X communication system that aims to promote safer, more efficient traffic flow. “The common standard should now allow us to investigate how drivers adopt this technology in everyday scenarios and to what extent we can improve road safety, prevent congestion, and reduce [carbon-dioxide] emissions,” says TUM professor Fritz Busch.

The wireless simTD technology enables information to be transferred directly to other vehicles or to roadside stations. The vehicles transmit information on the traffic conditions to the control station, which can then predict and manage the traffic flow. The system also alerts drivers to oncoming hazards.

“With the simTD-system, we are presenting a trendsetting technology that will allow vehicles from leading German manufacturers to network with one another and with the traffic infrastructure,” says project coordinator Christian Weiss.  Report

DCL:  This is a paradigm future application of CEP. Unfortunately the report says nothing of the underlying technology. Perhaps we can find the details?