Car-to-car comms the future of road safety

Ford is racing ahead in its development of car-to-car communications which it says are the next frontier in collision avoidance. The system will allow vehicles to 'talk' to one another wirelessly, warning of potential road and traffic hazards.

Operating on a secure channel, the system will utilise an advanced Wi-Fi network that allows the system a full 360-degree range, unlike line-of-sight radar systems used currently. Ford will partner with other vehicle manufacturers, the  US federal government and local road commissions to create a 'language' that is understood by all vehicles, regardless of make.

In this way, the system could alert drivers if their vehicle is on path to collide with another at an intersection, when a vehicle stops suddenly ahead in traffic or when traffic patterns change on a busy highway, for example. The systems could also warn drivers if there is a risk of collision when changing lanes, approaching a stationary or parked vehicle, or if another driver loses control.

"Ford believes intelligent vehicles that talk to each other through advanced Wi-Fi...could revolutionise the driving experience and hold the potential of helping reduce many crashes," said Ford group vice president of sustainability, environment and safety engineering, Sue Cischke.

The system, which will operate in unison with current SYNC and MyTouch innovations, comes after a decade of research and will this year benefit from a 20-member task force established to fast-track the technology. Ford will employ scientists, engineers and company planners from across the globe.

The US Department of Transport's Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) will head the research, continuing to co-ordinate with a coalition of car manufacturers organised by the Crash Avoidance Metrics Partnership (CAMP), which is a joint research group headed by Ford and General Motors.

Early research into the potential safety benefits of car-to-car communications by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimates that such a system could help in as many as 4,336,000 police-reported, light-vehicle crashes annually, or about 81 per cent of all accidents (in the US) involving unimpaired drivers.

Ford will double its commitment to intelligent vehicle investment in 2011 with prototypes expected to hit US roads by the end of the year, making it the first car manufacturer to do so. Experts predict the technology will be commonplace within the next five to 10 years.

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