Car Care

Cars That Avoid Crashes

Posted: 6/8/2011

By warning drivers about safety hazards, connected vehicles have the potential to save many thousands of lives each year.

(NAPSI)—Cars, trucks, buses and even bikes and motorcycles may soon be able to “talk” to each other to detect dangerous situations and help drivers avoid crashes before they happen.

“Connected vehicles will alert drivers if another vehicle is about to run the red light, when a car in their blind spot drifts too close for comfort, if there’s a crash ahead or even if the next bridge is getting icy,” explained Scott Belcher, president and CEO of the Intelligent Transportation Society of America, who noted that vehicles can also be equipped with pre-emptive braking systems to help drivers slow down.

In addition, connected vehicles can provide real-time information and navigation to avoid traffic, find better routes, check transit schedules, locate and reserve a parking space and pay tolls.

To find more good ideas, the Research and Innovative Technology Administration launched the Connected Vehicle Technology Challenge, a national competition seeking ideas for ways to use connectivity between vehicles to make transportation safer, greener and easier. More at www.Challenge.gov and www.itsa.org.