GM claims it's "democratizing" advanced safety with a car-to-car communication system that uses existing and inexpensive technologies that can be easily implemented across car brands and models.
Typically, cutting-edge tech like night-vision cameras on Mercedes S-Class vehicles and some BMW models and active safety systems such as Mercedes' Pre-Safe and Lexus' PCS debut on high-end models before eventually trickling down to less expensive cars.
GM's technology, which the company demonstrated last week in Europe with Opel, warns drivers of a stationary or slow-moving vehicle ahead and whether another vehicle is approaching a blind intersection or curve. Because such a system is more affordable, more vehicles can be equipped with it, according to GM.
In other words, you don't have to be well-heeled to save your hide.
GM and Opel demonstrated the system at the CAR 2 CAR Communication Consortium (C2C-CC) last week at GM's Dudenhofen Test Center in Germany. A GM spokesman claims that the technology gives vehicles a "sixth sense" to let drivers know what's going on around them to help avoid accidents and to improve traffic flow.
BMW also announced last week from C2C-CC that it's working on a similar system for its cars and motorcycles.
But GM and Opel say its system uses "everyday" hardware -- a microprocessor, GPS receivers and wireless LAN modules -- to communicate with vehicles within a few hundred meters of one another and exchange information such as location, speed, acceleration and direction of travel. And because more vehicles are coming equipped with radar-based sensors connected to safety and convenience tech such as adaptive cruise control and blind-spot monitoring, GM/Opel claims these can be implemented with its C2C system in "a more effective and affordable way."
GM and Opel demonstrated the technology's advantages in several scenarios, such as warning a driver of a stationary vehicle on the road ahead and another car approaching a blind intersection before it becomes visible to the driver. Alerts are issued via a dash display, a warning sound or through vibrations in the driver's seat.
GM and Opel say the technology is deliberately based on "inexpensive, proven components" so that it has the potential to quickly become standard equipment in a large number of vehicles -- instead of "extremely expensive high-tech systems for just a few cars" that only the wealthy can afford.
hondacura4 says:
07:25 PM, 10/27/08
Although this technology is interesting, Id rather the drivers around me pay attention instead of a computer doing it for them.
jerrywimer says:
07:01 AM, 10/28/08
That's a good point hondacura4. But there are plenty of situations where even drivers that are alert would benefit grealy with a system like this. I come from, and currently live in, a relatively mountainous area. Roads often meet or cross other roadways with hillsides that obstruct views of the interstections. I've seen people on the main (no-stop / yield) roads have to hit the brakes because someone at the cross stop couldn't see anyone approaching, and had tried to go through..
And that's just one useful example.
ateixeira says:
07:53 AM, 10/30/08
I'd love to know how much they spent on this already...