Vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-infrastructure communication is the essence of today’s conception of road safety. Imagine you are driving on the highway cruising along at a comfortable speed while listening to your favorite music album and singing to yourself. All of a sudden, you see the car in front of you applying its emergency brakes and hear a screeching sound of the wheels. What happens next? In the normal course of things, this is what would have happened.
You somehow manage to get your feet up to the brakes but by the time you could apply it is a loud bang. In addition, in the next second, it is again a Bang, when the car behind you crashes into you at the rear end. Your car is completely smashed and more importantly, you expose yourself to serious injuries, which might even be fatal. However, that is not going to happen with the new-age vehicle-to-vehicle or inter-vehicular communication technology entering the vehicular augmentation arena. The braking vehicle automatically sends out a caution signal to other vehicles in its vicinity, steering clear of an accident.
It has been reported by UK Road Safety Ltd that since 1st January 2008 there have been about 270,000 road causalities in the UK alone amounting to a total cost of about 13,782,410,640 pounds. Thus, it is obvious that anybody on the wheel should be more cautious while driving. To make the situation worse, there are the presences of drivers on the road who possess little or no respect for traffic or road laws. These drivers take on the road with speed limits in mind.
They disobey the general traffic rules and are often found driving under the influence of alcohol or other substances. Even if a driver is maintaining all other laws and statutory measures while driving, the number of mobile phone users while driving is quite high. There can be a lapse of concentration due to these facts and can easily result in accidents with fatal consequences. Thus, communication between vehicles becomes absolutely necessary.
The essence of all security and safety is the promotion of communication. The process by which this is done in road safety is called Vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-infrastructure communication. This communication also includes circulating information within the journey as well as dealing with traffic and other associated issues. It is a difficult task to launch a wide range of such communication and sustain it over a long period. Some of the vehicles are situated far apart with variable speed and outlook towards road safety. Under such circumstances, the aspect of communication becomes very vital.
It should be remembered that there several professional drivers on road. It is obvious that these drivers’ burnout is due to stress. Thus, it is important to find out the reasons for stress like monotonous work schedules and work methods. Thus, it is important to try newer pastures in the present form of driving. Unfortunately, this is not possible and a driver has to live with it. Ultimately, it should be remembered that stress is an inevitable but complex companion of our working lives. Without challenges and pressures, work would lack sparkle, but we all have the capacity to be overwhelmed by work-related stress and to experience its exhausting effects. Thus, a good communication technology would be helpful for them.
To achieve this goal of road safety, Vehicle-to-vehicle, and vehicle-to-infrastructure communication makes use of Dedicated Short-Range Communications (DSRC) established on Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) technology. This network is capable of broadcasting information over an expanse of nearly 1,000 meters (3,280 feet) among vehicles along with roadside units (RSU) as well.
Although presently it is in its testing phase, on successful completion of this phase we would witness all RSU being operational with the DSRC wireless equipments which would enable them to transmit traffic, security and other relevant information to passing by automobiles. Further, vehicle-manufacturing firms would also start putting in DSRC technology as a functionality instrument in their vehicles.
With DSRC technology coming as a pre-installed functionality, all vehicles would play the roles of an efficient transmitter as well as an equally competent receiver of information. Transmissions features would be much automated with the role of drivers being eased and minimized. Data transmission between the vehicles in vicinity would happen by means of ‘ad-hoc networks,’ with short-space wireless radio links being created automatically amongst the vehicles as per requirements. They would also have the capability of acting as routers, which would enable them to transmit information received from a certain vehicle to other vehicles in proximity. By means of this ‘multi-hopping’ facility, data could be conveyed over expanses of approximately one-forth of a mile even when no RSU is installed in the neighborhood.
Traffic disasters account for several lost lives, proving to be more fatal than any harmful ailments or natural catastrophes. Researches reveal that approximately 60% roadway accidents could have been circumvented if the driver of the vehicle was supplied with a caution signal only one-half second preceding the impact. Human drivers go through acuity confines on roadway crisis events, leading to huge hindrances in transmitting disaster caution signals.
Possibilities of heaped up accidental vehicle on crowded avenues during peak hours resulting from a chain effect rear-end impacts could be considerably diminished. As for privacy being a concern, data transmitted amongst vehicles and RSUs would uphold the anonymity of the senders and receivers. V2V schemes would possibly prevail over the difficulties a driver experiences due to blind spots such as turning or passing intricacies. In case a driver switches on a turning indicator, and an automobile approaches from the direction of his or her blind spot, the arrangement automatically informs the driver through a slight vibration in the driver’s seat.
Subsequently, the communication system also decides whether to put on the brakes or not using algorithms that analyzes the motion of the vehicle and computes the car’s speed and the time remaining in collision occurrence. The algorithm also can set off the flickering of the rear lights to avoid chain-effect back-end crashes.
Further, the technology can be used to caution the driver when vehicles in front, not considering their positioning in terms of lanes, are halted or moving relatively slower or if an automobile ahead applies emergency brakes, which permits the driver to apply his own brakes or switch over to a different lane as per requirements. It can further make use of the taillights to signal caution to the other driver when the approaching automobile is drawing closer at a rapid speed and the possibility of a rear-end crash is impending. The list of prospective applications could help in solving the gridlock problems and help a few that could well be lifesavers under some circumstances can be very long.
This comprises of juncture collision avoidance counting cases where traffic rules are infringed for example running red lights or halt signals. It might convey caution signals into the vehicles with reference to inward bound emergency vehicles at crossroads. It could also make information available related to vital road settings like a tapering curve, skidding icy areas on a bridge, construction precincts, traffic congestions or disasters or a highway-rail juncture notice. In addition, although not associated with safety or traffic surge, DCRC could possibly be used for offering infotainment services to send out digital music, films or map information for the on-board routing system. Without a doubt, such services facilitate the inflow of funds for building up and putting the safety application in place on top of ensuring its smooth reception by clients.
Automobile industry giants such as DaimlerChrysler and General Motors have already tested some form of inter-vehicular communication within driving environments. Interactions involving a Mercedes-Benz E-Class and Dodge Durango were verified in June 2006. Similarly, General Motors of late exhibited one of their V2V communication technology implementations where an individual vehicle could sense the location and movement of other vehicles in the vicinity of approximately a quarter of a mile. GPS (Global Positioning System) technology was made use of for determining the positioning of other vehicles. GM’s V2V system comprises of a top-mounted transponder, aerial and various connections chip.
This facilitates a vehicle to put on air its position and keep an eye on the location of several other automobiles having equivalent competence 10 times per second. In a revelation, a Cadillac CTS was engaged at a speed of 35 mph unswervingly into the pathway of a static Cadillac CTS without applying the brakes. When the approaching CTS drew nearer to the parked car, a green car symbol transforming into yellow was made use of on a dashboard-mounted display unit to specify the CTS’ speed and the space between vehicles. At approximately 30 yards away, the symbol changed its color to red and at the same time, the signals and brake lights of the parker vehicle stared flickering in a speedy forewarning sequence. Within a second, the brakes of the moving CTS were automatically applied and it was brought to a standstill just 15 ft. away from the parked vehicle.
All the same, the immensely powerful Vehicle-to-Vehicle technology guarantees a bright future for it self. Given that the DSRC technology is an open wireless protocol, a range of automobile industry players are utilizing it as a connections infrastructure as well. Moreover, Federal organizations for example the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration are pondering over the possibility of incorporating DSRC into roadway infrastructure which presently includes traffic lights, observation systems, etc. and in Vehicle Infrastructure Integration applications, which surely gathers up quite a good deal of impetus encompassing the technology.
Privacy apprehensions are another issue, which would need to be addressed in relation to the marketing of this technology. It is only a few steps from the implementation of V2V safety technology to V2V traffic control and insurance information obtaining. It would be a very efficient technique to pin down a driver for infringement of traffic laws with the car itself providing the substantiation wirelessly. Concerning this issue, GM articulates that its system would not broadcast vehicle credentials and related information, but that possibly will not be essential if the roadway infrastructures make use of cameras at critical junctures.
Additional Feature
This article has been modeled upon various articles published in the various newspapers, particularly the New York Times. It is a well-liked science magazine, which publishes articles on the subject of innovative and pioneering research and caters to the amateurs, unskilled and lay audiences. It is not a refereed scientific periodical. Instead, it provides an environment where scientific conjectures and breakthroughs are elucidated to a wider audience. Previously, scientists fascinated in areas outside their own domain of proficiency comprised of the publications target readers. At the present, however, the magazine intends to provide information for knowledgeable general audiences who are fascinated by scientific developments and discoveries.
Thus, the article has been kept simple and the use of too many jargons has been avoided. Since the article caters to an audience, which is considered educated and knowledgeable to some extent some technical terms have, been used without providing an extensive explanation for the same. The technology under consideration is considerably new to the markets and it would generate quite a good deal of fascination amongst interested readers. Highly technical information has been simplified to a considerable extent and detailed explanation of the ideas has been provided in order to make the concepts understandable.
It should be noted that Public Health and human development form integral component of overall socio-economic development of any nation. The organizations and financing of healthcare in different countries are different. In each country, the design of health services and the means by which these services are financed depend on the country’s political culture, history, and wealth. Several frameworks and models have been developed by analysts to explain these systems and to help compare healthcare systems in a meaningful manner. Nevertheless, prevention is better than cure and at least in the parameters of road safety V2V communication would prove to be very helpful and thus the article stands by the development with earnest interests.
However, other media programs would also be instrumental in the issue. Measures would be taken to fulfill the approach under various parameters. Live campaigns and kiosks would be incorporated in public spaces and within vulnerable communities to create awareness. Special units would also be prepared to persuade the health ministry with participants from all walks of life with possible influential backgrounds. It is important to create awareness both in the parameters of public and administrative strata and without the help of both the overall objectives of the public health program would not be fruitful.
However, at the onset of the article, a real life situation has been presented to draw the readers into further reading. The reason behind the introduction of the technology has been described. Following that, the underlying technical concepts have been explained to inform the users about the working of the technology. The possible applications of this technology to real life situations have then been presented to the reader. Subsequently, the article sheds light on the present status and utilization in the concerned industry. Finally, the reader is presented with a picture of the future of the technology and the course it might take in the long term.
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