The Feds Want Cars to Chat Instead of Just Watching Each Other

NHTSA

Every year, we see cars get smarter and more capable of driving themselves. Even some down-market models are now loaded with cameras and radars so they can watch the road for themselves. That allows them to do things like stay in their line on the highway, maintain a safe distance from other cars while in cruise control, and warn the driver when he’s about to get into an accident—or even apply the brakes automatically.

Federal regulators have been in favor of these systems, even requiring that all new cars have rearview cameras by 2018. But a new report shows they would like to see the automakers go further, by allowing cars not just to detect one another, but to communicate.

That’s the goal of vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communication, which uses radio signals to transmit data on each car’s speed, direction, and position to others in the area. The advantages of a V2V system would be largely redundant, as the cameras and radars already on cars can detect many of those hazards. However, it could extend the abilities of existing safety features like forward collision warning (by “seeing” beyond a single car in a line) or blind spot warning systems (by allowing the car to know if a blind spot will be occupied momentarily, not just if it’s occupied currently).

But a new report from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which is behind most regulations that impact the auto industry, outlines three new situations where the technology would be more effective than what we have now. These are times when the danger is outside the car’s line of sight, so cameras are useless and the ability to receive radio communications makes all the difference.

• Intersection Movement Assist: For vehicles approaching a blind intersection on a collision course, drivers would receive warnings of potential collision and could take action to avoid it. Because the vehicles can’t see each other, existing camera and radar-based systems would not be effective.


• Left Turn Assist: This can warn a driver not to turn left at an intersection because of oncoming traffic that can’t be seen, because it’s blocked by another vehicle. Volvo has a version of this technology in its new XC90, a first in a production car, but its range is limited to cars it can see. If a vehicle were approaching the intersection behind a truck or other obstacle at speed, only the V2V system could give adequate warning.


• Emergency Electronic Brake Light: While some current vehicles come with emergency stop features powered by radar or camera systems, they can only see the car in front of them, not what’s happening beyond that. With the EEBL, a driver could be alerted when a car far ahead brakes unexpectedly, and react well before it’s too late.

The report is part of what NHTSA calls an “advance notice of proposed rulemaking,” meaning it’s doing research before it decides to require something new. Whatever it decides, don’t expect it to happen immediately—V2V technology is at least a few years away from being ready for the market, and the regulating agency doesn’t have a reputation for moving too quickly.