Crash Prevention System Developed With GPS Technology

You read that right. Automakers and the Department of Transportation (DoT) have been developing vehicle to vehicle, or V2V, technology which is designed to prevent collisions. In 2010, close to 34,000 people died in car crashes. This technology aims to significantly reduce that number. Using GPS tracking, the automobile will broadcast location, speed and direction information. All V2V-equipped vehicles can then use that information to avoid a collision.

One major concern when it comes to GPS devices is privacy. “The Department takes privacy very seriously,” Gregory D. Winfree said, deputy director of their Research and Innovative Technology Administration (RITA). “We have worked closely with our partners to develop multiple strategies that help protect individual privacy. As conceived, the system will contain technical, physical and organizational controls to minimize privacy risks. The system will not collect and motor vehicles will not store the messages sent or received.”

“By the end of 2013, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) will make a decision about the future of its activities regarding connected vehicle technology for light vehicles,” Winfree explained. The system can detect dangers that the driver might not be able to see due to blind spots, traffic and other factors. It is designed to warn the driver of the potential collision to avoid a crash.

“It has long been recognized that GPS will be unavailable in some areas, ranging from a few seconds to much longer time frames,” Winfree said. “While interference may be one reason GPS solutions are not available, more often it will simply be a result of sky blockage. When applications are fully integrated, GPS will likely be complimented with wheel sensor data for distance traveled and steering wheel sensors for direction as well as low-cost inertial sensors if risks warrant.”

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Crash Prevention System Developed With GPS Technology