The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is making a plan that would require automakers to install wireless vehicle-to-vehicle communication technology (V2V) in cars and trucks.
It is believed that the technology can prevent accidents by giving vehicles the ability to talk to each other, providing information on where they are located and how fast they are traveling, at the speed of 10 times one second. Similar safety features, such as blind spot monitoring and other collision prevention technologies, are already offered in many consumer vehicles.
NHTSA believes VV can cut accidents that don't involve drunk drivers or mechanical issues by about 80%.According to NHTSA, there are roughly 30,000 highway fatalities each year, down22% over the last decade. Nearly half of the crashes examined by the Highway Loss Data Institute involve rear-end collisions a type of accidents that information-swapping between cars could eventually prevent.
The V2V safety applications currently under development do not control a vehicle's braking or steering, like some features offered by car manufacturers.
"By helping drivers avoid crashes, this technology will play a Key role in improving the way people get where they need to go. At the same time, it ensures that the U.S. remains the leader in the global automotive industry," said U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx.
The agency is making its final analysis of data gathered during a year-long test in Ann Arbor. Mich. A report with cost estimates and additional safety information will be published in the coming weeks, at which time a public comment period will begin.
V2V communication would add $100 to $200 to the cost of a new car, according to the Intelligent Transportation Society of America. However、 David J. Friedman, acting director of the NHTSA, said, "It's not a problem. Nothing is more important than safety." He said the search is still on for a method that WiFi can use without interfering with car-to-car communication.
