system can connect vehicles to infrastructure, which is sometimes referred to as V2X. Continental believes this can warn drivers of pedestrians or other hazards that may be obscured by buildings or other vehicles. Citing DOT data, the company says 51 percent of all crashes resulting in injuries and 28 percent of all fatal crashes in the U.S. occur at intersections.
Sensors—including cameras, radar, and lidar—will detect pedestrians and road users within a 360-degree perimeter of the intersection. This information is then sent to vehicles approaching the intersection. An onboard module receives the information and analyzes it, warning the driver if a collision appears to be imminent.
Systems like this have been discussed for years. A large-scale test has already been undertaken in Ann Arbor, Michigan, to study V2V and V2X. However, actually implementing this technology requires a major commitment from both automakers and municipalities.
The necessary sensor and communications hardware must be installed in a large number of cars and at a large number of intersections to get any real benefit. But with a proposed V2V mandate now reportedly in limbo, and an apparent unwillingness at all levels of government to spend money on infrastructure, that doesn't appear very likely at the moment.
Collisions are
a citywide issue.
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