Ford shows off vehicle-to-vehicle tech
BY TIM NICHOLSON | 3rd Jun 2014
The Blue Oval's V2V technology enables vehicles to send information such as the car's location, speed and predicted path to other V2V systems so they can anticipate and possibly alert other road-users of potential collision risks.
A pair of specially equipped Kuga SUVs are on show in downtown Taipei, to highlight how the technology can avoid collisions through a series of demonstrations.
Ford Asia Pacific vice president of product development Trevor Worthington said that the V2V technology has the potential to not only decrease the likelihood of a collision, but also ease traffic congestion and improve the efficiency of driving patterns.
“Ford is playing a leading role in developing this type of vehicle communication technology, entering into major research partnerships with governments, universities and industry groups in the U.S. and Europe,” he said.
“We’re thrilled that we have this opportunity to showcase our progress for the first time in Asia Pacific.” The V2V technology uses a wi-fi based radio system to transmit the data to other vehicles, which then interprets the data to determine if there is a risk of a collision on the path ahead.
Ford says the V2V technology improves on radar-based blind-spot detection systems by alerting the driver to fast-approaching vehicles before they are obscured from view, allowing more time for informed decisions.
By using radio signals and not line-of-sight technology, information transmitted by vehicles that are obscured by an intersection or hidden behind an oversized vehicle can still be received.
Ford said it is also working on technology that allows communication between a vehicle and infrastructure so the driver can receive notifications about accidents or traffic congestion that could effect their route.
The US car-maker is working with public authorities, standards organisations and other global automotive companies to develop standards for both the vehicle-to-infrastructure and vehicle-to-vehicle technology to support “adoption and institution”.
Ford is calling on government organisations, universities, research institutions and the private sector to align, in a bid to support global vehicle production and standardised technology infrastructure.
In 2013, the German government partially funded a test program involving 120 vehicles and more than 500 drivers, for which Ford provided the test vehicle and led the development of the emergency brake light system, that warns drivers of heavy braking ahead.
A real-world study in the United States using 3000 vehicles with V2V technology is currently underway, and the resulting data will be used for development and evaluation of future applications.
The US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) that tests the safety of vehicles has confirmed that they will develop regulation in the future that will require V2V technology on new cars.
