The University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute (UMTRI) is planning to equip vehicles with connected-vehicle technologies, which will facilitate the vehicles to send and receive wireless messages preventing crashes.
Under the $22m motor-vehicle safety research project, UMTRI along with the US Department of Transportation and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration are testing the Safety Pilot Model Deployment in real world use by actual drivers.
Further, wireless communication devices will be set up on about 3,000 cars, and allow vehicles communicate each other, to the traffic lights and other road signals from intersections and curves on model deployment test area.
UMTRI associate research scientist and programme manager Jim Sayer said they are equipping vehicles that spend time driving in the 48105 zip code--northeast Ann Arbor and the surrounding area.
"The pilot area is defined by M-14/US-23 to our north, US-23 to our east, as far south as Washtenaw Avenue, and west as far as Main Street," Sayer said.
"We are working closely with the university community, but also with the Ann Arbor Public Schools, to identify individuals who want to know more about this technology and might consider having it installed on their personal vehicle."
Following the operation, the equipment will send information about the vehicle's speed, location and position, to alert drivers of possible crash situations by delivering a warning sound or flashing red light within their cars.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is expecting that 80% of the unimpaired driver crashes can be addressed by the connected-vehicle technology.
