In another article,we briefly mentioned a new technology that’s gaining traction every day and that technology is vehicle to vehicle communication.
It’s the type of technology that our parents probably never would’ve dreamed of – unless they were watching an old Jetsons cartoon that is. While truly autonomous driving vehicles may still be years away the introduction of technology that will allow cars to talk to each other is just around the corner.
These are exciting times and in many cases the technology already exists it’s simply being perfected. The biggest obstacles we may run into in the introduction of this type of technology are political in nature. If car companies can agree on a common standard that is acceptable to our governments we’re likely to see this technology in widespread use in the next few years. Let’s take a closer look at why we think this is a good idea.
The Safety of Everyone
Just imagine you’re driving down the road on the way to your kid’s birthday party and everybody’s in a good mood. Perhaps the kids are even participating in a sing-along and you have a big smile on your face as you listen to the joy in their voices.
It’s a perfect sunny day and you can’t imagine what could possibly go wrong, but then you enter an intersection and you’re sideswiped by a driver that’s just run a red light. With the introduction of vehicle to vehicle communication, this type of scenario can be completely avoided.
Other cars nearby that have already seen the approaching disaster scenario can alert your car to the danger ahead over a shared Wi-Fi connection and provide you with an advanced warning so that you can avoid the danger. This is perhaps the best reason that vehicle to vehicle communication is a great idea.
Share Real-Time Traffic Information
If you don’t have the local traffic station on the radio you might run into a major traffic snarl and be stuck in the middle of it before you know it.
At that point in time, it’s impossible to avoid the gridlock and you simply have to fight your way through it while trying to stay patient. If your car was equipped with vehicle to vehicle communication you could be alerted to the traffic jam ahead and be advised of an alternate route that can help you avoid it.
Make You Aware of Mechanical Issues
Many of us have had the unfortunate experience of being pulled over by a police officer because we have a headlight out. In most cases we weren’t even aware of it as it’s something that just recently happened. The officer in question may or may not believe you and may let you off with a warning, but there’s also the possibility you’ll get a ticket.
Unfortunately, you can’t see the headlights in front of you unless you get out of the car and have a look which isn’t too practical when you’re in the middle of traffic. If other cars around you are aware of their surroundings they can alert you to the fact that your headlights are out so that you can get it taken care of and avoid any incidents with the police. While vehicle to vehicle communication is not really being touted for this kind of use yet it’s coming.
A Real Information Superhighway
The Internet is one of the greatest inventions of mankind, but it does have its limitations. With the introduction of vehicles that can communicate with each other, a whole range of possibilities is opened up that allow the information superhighway to become much more interactive.
While safety may be the main reason for adopting vehicle to vehicle communication there are many different kinds of information that vehicles can share with each other that may be of use to the occupants.
For instance, you may be alerted by a vehicle that’s just driven through a danger area that a tornado lies ahead, or maybe you’ll be alerted to something much more benign like the fact that a great Chinese restaurant is just around the corner. Whatever the case may be there are a lot of potential applications for vehicle to vehicle communication and it seems we’ve only just scratched the surface.