GM & Opel Develop Vehicles with a Sixth Sense

On the second international forum of CAR 2 CAR Communication Consortium, GM and Opel demonstrated their vehicular communication systems.

(News from: Infibeam. The original article can be found at http://news.infibeam.com/blog/news/2008/11/03/gm_opel_develop_vehicles_with_a_sixth_sense.html)

"In its second international forum, the CAR 2 CAR Communication Consortium (C2C-CC) is demonstrating for the first time worldwide vehicle-to-X communication independent of manufacturer or vehicle-type. Opel is hosting the event at the GM Dudenhofen Test Center in Germany. 

Preventing accidents by warning drivers about potential danger from other vehicles was a major goal during the development of the new General Motors/Opel C2C (car-to-car or vehicle-to-vehicle) communication systems. Vehicles equipped with this technology can communicate with each other and exchange information such as location and speed. Drivers can then be warned in advance if another vehicle is stopped in an area that is difficult or impossible to see, or about to enter the same intersection as they are.

“Driving is a very complex task. Knowing where the other guy is and where he’s headed can be as critical as being in control of your own vehicle,” said Hans-Georg Frischkorn, Executive Director, Global Electrical Systems, Controls and Software. “With C2C technology, we intensify the driver’s awareness of his environment to improve road safety, without any distraction to him and certainly without reducing his level of control. This sixth sense lets drivers know what’s going on around them to help avoid accidents and improve traffic flow.”

For these systems, GM/Opel uses proven, reliable components that are part of everyday life. The hardware consists of a microprocessor, GPS receivers (Global Positioning System) and Wireless LAN modules. The vehicles establish communication within a few hundred meters of one another and exchange information such as location, speed, acceleration and direction of travel.

Today, vehicles can be equipped with multiple safety sensors, including radar-based sensors connected with speed control devices, lane change assistance systems or sensors to detect objects in a car’s blind spot. GM/Opel can increase the operating range and coverage of individual sensors significantly with its comprehensive technology - a more effective and affordable way to provide extensive observation and assessment of the surrounding traffic conditions.

Demonstration with typical driving situations
GM/Opel engineers demonstrate the new technology’s advantages with a range of practical exercises. Several functions help prevent the rear-end collisions that occur on a daily basis due to poor visibility, twisty roads or short lapses in driver concentration. For example, the system warns of a stationary vehicle on the road even before the driver behind can see it, for example around a corner. Depending on the situation, the system transmits these warnings visually, acoustically or through vibrations in the driver’s seat.

In another scenario, a collision warning system improves safety while approaching intersections. Even if there is no visual contact between the drivers of two vehicles, the system detects any collision danger in advance and alerts both drivers if they need to intervene, for example by braking. Work zones or emergency vehicles can also transmit signals to drivers if a lane is closed or a path needs to be cleared.

Goal: Wide availability for as many vehicles as possible
GM/Opel has deliberately based this technology on inexpensive, proven components, giving it the potential to become standard equipment in many vehicles. The alternative would be to offer extremely expensive high-tech systems for just a few cars, but as Hans-Georg Frischkorn says: “GM/Opel has always been committed to democratizing innovations. Our C2C systems are affordable and could potentially be used in every vehicle class. That’s especially important because cooperative systems like these become more effective when many vehicles are equipped with them.”

Courtesy: General Motors"

Volkswagen's Car-2-Car system begins testing

A field test of Car-2-Car communication system was performed by Volkswagen.

According to the message from Motor Authority:

(The origional news can be found at http://www.motorauthority.com/volkswagens-car-2-car-system-begins-testing.html)

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Volkswagen's new GTI, along with a Passat Variant, were used for the technical demonstration

Volkswagen is claiming to have reached an automotive milestone today as tests begin on its Car-2-Car communications system. The system aims to increase the levels of communications between cars of all makes and models eventually, and to hopefully improve road safety.

The enlistment of a number of different manufacturers means that research regarding the "Car-2-Car" communication is being conducted to define a universal standard for communication between vehicles. This will allow vehicles to communicate potential hazards and other important information to nearby vehicles. For example, if a vehicle encounters an adverse condition such as a traffic jam, fog, an icy road surface or an accident, it will transmit this information to all potentially affected vehicles in the area. Approaching traffic is alerted, allowing drivers to adjust their driving to the upcoming situation.

The tests are being conducted at Volkswagen's testing grounds in Dudehofen. Currently the test are being conducted in two Volkswagen vehicles, the Passat and the Golf, which both act as a sender, receiver and transmitter. 'Ad-hoc networks' based on wireless LAN technology are used to exchange data between the vehicles. The tests conducted simulated a variety of situations, including the presence of a motorcycle at an intersection, a stationary vehicle, a construction site and a police car in action.

Data access was provided by a 'CarGate' which creates an abstract of the vehicle data, thus allowing simple access to a multitude of information, such as road speed, engine speed, wheel speeds or status of the hazard flashers. This data can then be processed and transmitted in a useful manner to the driver, to help him or her to avoid adverse situations.

Volkswagen first mentioned Car-2-Car communication around 4 years ago, when it headed up a consortium of European manufacturers in order to make the technology a reality. In 2004, the consortium consisted of Audi, the BMW Group, DaimlerChrysler, Fiat, Renault and Volkswagen.

Also displayed this week were similar communications-based safety systems by Nissan and General Motors. Europe's Intelligent Car Initiative is beginning to have a direct influence on these sorts of projects as it calls for the use of Information and communication technologies to reduce road accidents and ease traffic congestion."

Relataed readings:

From Vision To Reality: "Car-2-Car" Communication Put To The First Road Test;

Honda demonstrates V2V communication system for motorcyclists

Honda's C2C solution covers also motorcycles ...

The original article
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Honda demonstrates V2V communication system for motorcyclists

October 23, 2008 No matter what your skill level, being aware of what's going on around you is THE most critical safety factor for all road users - if you don't see it coming, you are in big trouble. For motorcyclists, who are simply less visible on the roads and face a much greater risk of death or serious injury in the event that an accident does occur, this factor becomes even more important. In the past, the technology dedicated to inter-vehicle communication has been limited to blowing the horn or perhaps catching a radio report of an accident up ahead, but things are changing fast. This brings us to Honda's latest innovation in the field. The company has debuted a new Vehicle-to-Vehicle Communication (V2V) system aimed at reducing road casualties of both motorcyclists and car drivers which links vehicles within a defined radio range via a wireless LAN network to provide immediate access to data on vehicle location, accidents, congestion or other potential threats that lie ahead.

The system monitors the position, speed, distance and direction of surrounding road users and the collected data is centralized before being sent to drivers and motorcyclists. For the latter, the information can be accessed on their navigation system display or relayed by means of an in-helmet audio system.

The HMI (Human Machine Interface) concept developed by Honda provides both a visual and an audible warning in safety critical situations. The visual element is located close to the rider's lin-of-sight on the upper edge of the motorcycle dashboard and uses changes in color and intensity to intuitively communicate the nature of the threat. This is backed by an audible warning delivered through a Bluetooth link to an in-helmet speaker.

Developed within the ASV (Advanced Safety Vehicle) program in Japan, Honda demonstrated the system for the first time at the CAR 2 CAR Communication Consortium event at the Opel Test Track in Dudenhofen, Germany. The consortium brings together a number of vehicle manufacturers with the goal of bringing greater awareness and therefore safety to our roads.

Although there is no room to doubt the premise that greater awareness equals greater safety, the statistics cited by Honda to underpin their commitment to developing this technology make interesting reading.

EU funded research project (Motorcycle Accident In-Depth Study or MAIDS) collected in 1999 looked at data from 921 motorcycle accidents in 5 European countries. It was found that 88% of the accidents were mainly caused by human error, while 8% were due to external environmental factors such as weather conditions or road infrastructure. In 37 per cent of cases the motorcyclist was the cause of the accident, while in 50 per cent of cases the driver of the other vehicle was responsible. Of this 50 per cent, 72 per cent were so-called 'perception' failures, where the driver failed to see the motorcycle, three per cent were 'comprehension' failures (they saw the motorcycle but the brain did not recognize it as such), and 20 per cent were 'decision' failures (they saw the motorcycle but decided to continue with the intended manoeuvre anyway)... i.e. drivers tend not to see motorcyclists.

It's hoped systems like V2V will have an impact in particular problem areas such as accidents at an intersections and left-turn accidents (right-turn in the UK, Ireland, Australia etc) where a other vehicle cuts across the path of an oncoming motorcycle. Work is continuing into extending the scope of the system to assist more difficult situations. This includes identifying when are motorcyclists hidden in "blind-spots" or pinpointing the location of emergency services vehicles when a siren is sounding.

The Car 2 Car Consortium’s research and work, coupled with Honda’s latest safety innovation will result in a new era of road safety for all road users, where vehicle communication systems share vital information with the aim of helping to reduce the number of casualties on the roads," said General Manager of Honda (UK) Motorcycles, Steve Martindale. "Honda fully supports the EU targets for traffic fatality reduction and we’re pleased to be able to further our commitment under the European Road Safety Charter with this latest vehicle communication safety system.”

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More readings:

Honda Demonstrates Life Saving Motorcycle Technology

HONDA’S BIKE THAT TALKS TO CARS

Car to car communication the safety device of the future

Road test for vehicle-to-vehicle communication

Here comes the news from an academia partner of C2C-CC, Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt DLR, on the demonstration of vehicle-to-vehicle communication on 22 and 23 of Oct. 2008 in Germany.

The orignal release:

Road test for vehicle-to-vehicle communication

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22 October 2008

Car-to-car communication

A large-scale demonstration of inter-vehicle communication will take place on 22 and 23 October 2008. At the Opel proving ground in Dudenhofen near Frankfurt am Main, the new car-to-car (C2C) communication technology is demonstrated in real life. The German Aerospace Center (Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt; DLR) is one of the parties involved in this project. On both days of the event, demonstrations will be given of the synergy between the separate technical components made by the partners in the CAR 2 CAR Communication Consortium (C2C-CC). DLR is joined in the consortium by almost all European automakers, several suppliers, and Fraunhofer and university institutes. The main contributions made by DLR scientists to this major project are the CODAR technology (Cooperative Object Detection And Ranging) and DLR's simulation expertise.

DLR operates a camera system transmitting large-scale image data

During the live demonstration, the audience, consisting of representatives from the automotive industry as well as journalists, will experience the state of the art in innovative C2C technology "live", allowing them to familiarise themselves with the new possibilities created by this technology. The demonstration will revolve around five selected case studies. DLR is responsible for one of these. The task assigned to DLR is to create an almost real-time representation of the traffic situation at the proving ground and all the communication links involved. The idea is to consolidate all the spontaneous, self-organising and short-lived communication links between the vehicles into a traffic situation display showing their precise geographic locations in such a way as to be insightful to laypersons as well. Other case studies will show how C2C technology can be used to prevent collisions between motorcycles and cars or to warn a driver of the presence of a breakdown van hidden from their view behind a curve in the road.

The C2C technology is considered to be a key technology for preventive road safety. The DLR Institute of Communications and Navigation (DLR-Institut für Kommunikation und Navigation) and the DLR Institute of Transportation Systems (DLR-Institut für Verkehrssystemtechnik) have made important contributions to this field over the past months, for instance by developing new methods for cooperative driver assistance based on vehicle-to-vehicle communication.

DLR is using this occasion to showcase its rather unique expertise in another way as well: During several overflights of the proving ground by a specially equipped research aircraft, high-resolution aerial images are recorded and analysed practically in real time to enable large-scale traffic situation assessment. For this purpose, DLR operates a camera system capable of transmitting large-scale image data (48 megapixels per photo, five by ten kilometres in two minutes) to a ground station. This system can record several images per second, enabling observation of dynamic processes such as road traffic. Parameters such as vehicle speeds, vehicle density and length of queues can be determined in this way. The system can improve traffic management during major events and calamities.

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