V2V communication as a safety feature
Vauxhall's latest safety idea turns the highways and byways into a life-sized feedback loop by allowing vehicles to communicate with each other. We're not talking about the type of communication we humans do in our cars – behavior like pointing out the state bird – think more like WiFi. There are some real safety gains to be had with the system, inventively named Vehicle-to-Vehicle. Using GPS-based technology, along with some type of wireless communication facility, V2V can warn you of potential danger by alerting you to the presence of cars in your blind spots or around a bend, and it can also use data such as speed, direction, and acceleration to determine whether or not you're gonna smack that Scimitar in front of you. Driver alerts can be visual, auditory, or via a Magic Fingers® seat cushion. If you ignore your playfully jiggly seat cushion, the car can even apply its own brakes. This sounds kind of like the funk-tastic Carhood, but with real development dollars behind it.
[Source: Auto Express]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Joe K. 9:52AM (7/13/2007)
and these broadcasts from our vehicle are picked up by sensors on the side of the road and broadcast to the local police department where they will e-mail you a ticket directly to your car. A needle will then come out of your driver's seat proving this all to really be just a pain in the ass...
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Scotty 11:15AM (7/13/2007)
Exactly. I'm glad this point is the first comment, because it is the most prescient.
thesawzall 10:17AM (7/13/2007)
I'm torn in two with these sort of things. I love driving but hate commuting. There could be huge benefits for commuting with these kinds of things, but they'd tend to make driving at other times less enjoyable.
I look forward to the day when traffic moves more smoothly and more efficiently, but dread the day when all fun driving will be relegated to dirt roads and the race track.
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mk 10:45AM (7/13/2007)
Interesting until it started talking about applying your brakes for you.
Clanging bells, blowing whistles, seizure inducing blinking lights, whatever, but when it takes over control of my car, it crosses a big line.
A road-radar system that displays low visability, blind-spot warnings, over the hill lack of visibility, blind access or blind intersection warnings, etc... in a HID display sounds cool.
Messing with the throttle, brakes, or otherwise sounds like a bad idea, other than maybe prepping the brakes by priming the pads to the disk surfaces, for faster driver reaction, or blinking the brake lights for people behind you to be ready for an emergency stop.
A computer should never take over ultimate control of the car's drive, steering, and braking systems, though.
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Dan from Delaware 11:03AM (7/13/2007)
It would be interesting if that stuff went live, then people figured out how to hack it. Just imaging if you could make every car on the road do an emergency stop at the same time.
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emmanuel athens 3:45PM (7/28/2007)
Tthat's a great idea that must be mandatory for new and old cars as soon as possible
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J 12:21PM (7/13/2007)
"some dude gave the bird so I haxored his cavalier and sent into a telephone pole."
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AMGoff 12:23PM (7/13/2007)
I think the only time this would be great (brake, throttle control and all) would be the highways. Sure I can see how this would alarm some people, but the number of accidents on the highways proves people can't always drive their car either. There are such varying extremes on the road, where I live most major highways are 65mph. I'd say only about 30% ever go between 65-70. Some 35% seem to like going 75+ and the other 35% seem to keep it under 65. You've got the slow pokes in the right and middle lanes the fast ones weaving in and out of every lane and the me (the 65-70 crowd) yelling at everyone while trying to not get in an accident.
These days a computer can react quicker than a human being can, if enough r&d could be put into the technology it could save a lot of headaches as well as lives. Although for the backroads and the twisties I would just want the "warning" part of the system to be active because that's where the fun driving takes place.
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F451 12:38PM (7/13/2007)
Although we seem inevitably heading this direction, it irks me that the level of driving ability will be lowered more than it already is. This will bring new meaning to those cutting in line; those who drive like $hit to begin with; those who should have given up driving years ago.
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MikeW 12:50PM (7/13/2007)
How about doing what is required.
Put brake lights on vehicles.
Not combination tail/brake, not combo tail/brake/red turn BS. No flashing brake lights, or automatic hazard application nonsense.
Positive signaling [off to on, only] Fast response [off to full intensity in less than 0.1 second]
Have the adaptive brake lights operate on the CHMSL only. Normal braking 1/3 width, Full attention 3/3 width.
Criteria:
BrakeAssist (computer override of driver), braking with ESP engagement, deceleration greater than 0.75g (no ABS engagment), deceleration greater than 0.5g with ABS intervention.
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Colin Smith 2:48PM (7/13/2007)
I find the idea of "Magic Fingers" messaging my bottom rather disturbing.
I might scream and panic into the back of something.
Still doesn't sound good...
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Barney 1:26AM (7/14/2007)
Something from a real old issue of Popular Mechanics. I recall how the highway sensors would also steer the car.
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Will 10:49AM (7/14/2007)
i always wanted little radios where you could hit the person's tag number and then tell them off. I think it'd be hilarious.
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