Atlanta, GA – We’ve all heard of the autonomous car of the future – one that can capably get us to the office while we sip our latte and surf the ‘net on our iPads and Droids (no one reads a physical newspaper anymore, do they?). Well, with direction and ingenuity from our government and Ford, we may very soon be able to experience something close to that. The vehicles that I am speaking of are not quite that smart, but they are intelligent enough to talk… to each other, that is.
The federal government has spearheaded an initiative where one day all future cars are able to communicate wirelessly with each other. Using Wi-Fi signals, or short-range communications on a secured channel allocated by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), Ford’s leading technology will enable cars to talk to each other, potentially increasing safety and fuel economy, while reducing traffic congestion. Although the government is working with all automotive manufacturers, Ford is the first to have working prototypes available for demonstration purposes.
The technology on display is capable of “looking” around corners for potentially dangerous situations when a driver’s vision is obstructed. According to Ford, “Intelligent vehicles could warn drivers if there is a risk of collision when changing lanes, approaching a stationary or parked vehicle, or if another driver loses control. Drivers also could be alerted if their vehicle is on a path to collide with another vehicle at an intersection, when a vehicle ahead stops or slows suddenly, or when a traffic pattern changes on a busy highway.”
Press Release:
Atlanta, Georgia, December 8 , 2011 – As America’s traffic congestion worsens, Ford is showcasing its leading technologies and futuristic safety research that offer safer, more fuel-efficient ways to get around town.
Ford Global Driver Assistance and Active Safety’s Mike Shulman will demonstrate Ford’s futuristic safety research and intelligent vehicles that wirelessly talk to each other to reduce crashes, improve fuel efficiency and more efficiently route traffic.
“Intelligent vehicles are the next frontier of collision avoidance technology that could revolutionize the driving experience for safety, driver mobility, fuel efficiency and other potential conveniences,” said Sue Cischke, group vice president, Sustainability, Environment and Safety Engineering. “Ford is excited to be at the forefront of developing this technology in order to more quickly deliver its benefits to drivers.”
A 2010 NHTSA report on potential safety benefits of vehicle-to-vehicle communications estimates that intelligent vehicles could help in as many as 4.3 million police-reported, light-vehicle crashes annually, or approximately 81 percent of all light-vehicle crashes involving unimpaired drivers. Experts say intelligent vehicles could be on the road in the near future.
Ford is the first automaker to build functional prototype vehicles to preview the technology and is conducting a series of events across the country to explore the near-term feasibility of saving drivers’ lives, fuel and time spent on the road.
How it works
Ford’s technology allows vehicles to talk wirelessly with one another using advanced Wi-Fi signals, or dedicated short-range communications, on a secured channel allocated by the Federal Communications Commission. Unlike radar-based safety features, which identify hazards within a direct line of sight, the Wi-Fi-based radio system allows full-range, 360-degree detection of potentially dangerous situations, such as when a driver’s vision is obstructed.
For example, drivers could be alerted if their vehicle is on path to collide with another vehicle at an intersection, when a vehicle ahead stops or slows suddenly or when a traffic pattern changes on a busy highway. The systems also could warn drivers if there is a risk of collision when changing lanes, approaching a stationary or parked vehicle, or if another driver loses control.
The possibility of reduced congestion
By reducing crashes, intelligent vehicles could ease traffic delays, saving drivers both time and fuel. Congestion could also be reduced through a network of intelligent vehicles and infrastructure that would process real-time traffic and road information and allow drivers to choose less congested routes.
According to Texas Transportation Institute’s (TTI) 2010 Urban Mobility Report, traffic congestion continues to worsen in American cities of all sizes, annually wasting nearly 3.9 billion gallons of fuel in 2009 and costing the average Atlanta commuter an additional 44 hours spent sitting in traffic which equates to an extra 35 gallons of gas and $1,046 per driver during that idle time. Leading factors in traffic delays are caused by accidents, breakdowns and road debris, TTI maintains.
“We are not far from the day when vehicles will constantly exchange information and communicate with our environment to do things such as shorten commute times, improve fuel economy and generally help us more easily navigate life on the road,” said Paul Mascarenas, vice president, Ford Research and Innovation and chief technical officer. “A smart network of intelligent vehicles has the potential to benefit drivers in many ways.”
Ford is already delivering top fuel economy performance for drivers with at least 12 vehicles that lead their sales segments in fuel economy – including four vehicles with EPA-certified 40 mpg or higher fuel economy ratings – a claim no other full-line automaker can match. Ford’s comprehensive sustainability plan also includes a full family of electrified vehicles, with five new electrified vehicles planned for North America by 2012 and Europe by 2013.
Speaking the same language
Ford is partnering with other automakers and the federal government, as well as local and county road commissions, to create a common language that ensures all vehicles can talk to each other based on a common communication standard.
This public-private partnership will include the world’s first government-sponsored driving clinics beginning in summer 2011, for which the company will contribute two prototype Ford Taurus sedans. The DOT’s Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) will head the research, continuing to coordinate with a coalition of automakers organized by the Crash Avoidance Metrics Partnership (CAMP), which is a joint research group headed by Ford and General Motors. The partnership is working to develop inter-operability standards in advance of completing the research phase in 2013.
“Ford has laid the groundwork to give vehicles a voice with SYNC and Wi-Fi technology,” said Jim Vondale, director, Ford Automotive Safety Office. “Now we’re working with other automakers and government leaders worldwide to develop common standards globally to bring intelligent vehicles to market quicker and more affordably.”
Vondale has been appointed by Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood to represent automakers on the ITS Advisory Committee. Mike Shulman, technical leader, Ford Research and Innovation, leads the government-industry technical partnership as program manager for CAMP.
Laying the connectivity groundwork
Many of Ford’s current technologies show how intelligent vehicles will be able to help drivers. For example, features that alert drivers to approaching hazards, such as Ford’s collision warning with brake support and Blind Spot Information System (BLIS®) with cross-traffic alert, which rely on radar sensors to detect vehicles or objects close to the vehicle.
“While there are challenges ahead, the foundation of these smarter vehicles is comprised of advanced versions of pervasive technologies – Wi-Fi and crash avoidance systems that Ford has pioneered in mainstream vehicles today,” said Mascarenas. “We are not far from the day when vehicles operate like mobile devices with four wheels, constantly exchanging information and communicating with our environment to keep us safer, shorten commute times, and help us more easily navigate life on the road.
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About Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company, a global automotive industry leader based in Dearborn, Mich., manufactures or distributes automobiles across six continents. With about 166,000 employees and about 70 plants worldwide, the company’s automotive brands include Ford and Lincoln. The company provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. For more information regarding Ford’s products, please visit www.ford.com.
A video of the in-car demonstration can be found in two parts here:
