Why Cars Will ‘Talk’ to Each Other by 2020

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is looking towards vehicle-to-vehicle technology to keep U.S. roads safe.

The agency has taken the first step in mandating vehicle-to-vehicle technology in the U.S., releasing a report on the topic that states it would cost as much as $2.1 billion for the automotive industry to install what’s likely to be required equipment starting in 2020. NHTSA is focusing on two technologies in the report: left-turn assist and intersection-movement assist.

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By using the global-positioning system, radar and camera technologies found in new vehicles, left-turn assist will warn a driver against turning into the path of an oncoming vehicle. Intersection-movement assist would involve two V2V-equipped vehicles communicating with one another to avoid an accident at an intersection. The agency estimates that the two technologies could prevent as many as 592,000 crashes annually, saving 1,083 lives.

NHTSA believes it will finish work on the rule by 2016 and automakers such as GM support the technology and rulemaking, believing that it’ll help make vehicles safer.

“Safety is our top priority, and V2V technology represents the next great advance in saving lives,” U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx said in a statement. “This technology could move us from helping people survive crashes to helping them avoid crashes altogether, saving lives, saving money and even saving fuel thanks to the widespread benefits it offers.”

[Source: WardsAuto]