The University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute is continuing research into ways to prevent car and truck accidents. So far, the 18-month study has studied close to 3000 vehicles, including trucks, bicycles, cars, and motorcycles. Now, researchers will be studying more vehicles – up to 9000 cars and other vehicles – as well as pedestrians as part of the study.
The vehicles in the study are equipped with vehicle-to-vehicle transponder technology, which is designed to prevent collisions. The next part of the study will take about two years and will equip pedestrians as well as vehicles with the transmitters to examine how different vehicles are able to interpret data from the transponders in order to prevent crashes.
In the first phase of the study, researchers found that the transponders worked well, picking up signals from vehicles and traffic lights at larger distances than previously thought. So far, scientists think that fewer transmitters would be needed for the vehicle-to-vehicle technology to work, which could mean that the systems would be more affordable.
Researchers think that the vehicle-to-vehicle transponders could help prevent intersection accidents, rear-end collisions, and lane change accidents by taking human error out of the equation. The technology allows vehicles to “communicate” with each other so that imminent accidents can be avoided. So far, however, researchers in the study have not yet tested to see whether the technology would indeed lower car accident crashes.
The study will likely be used by the U.S. Department of Transportation to decide whether to make transponders mandatory on new vehicles. So far, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and some safety experts have stated that they support vehicle-to-vehicle communication systems because they do have the potential to stop car and truck accidents.
Some car manufacturers are already combining vehicle-to-vehicle communication technology and autonomous technology in cars in prototypes and new generation models. These cars anticipate the threat of a collision and then react “autonomously,” automatically applying brakes or using other maneuvers to prevent a crash.
Would vehicle-to-vehicle communication help prevent trucking accidents in Miami and other cities? Some people believe so. Studies have shown that many truck and car accidents in Miami and other cities are caused by driver error, distracted driving, drunk driving, and other similar issues. Theoretically, at least, vehicle-to-vehicle communication can help prevent some of these traffic crashes by alerting drivers to dangers that they do not spot. The technology has the potential to be especially effective when combined with autonomous driver technology. However, will the technology actually make an impact on traffic collision rates in Miami and other communities? That is harder to gauge, especially when considering that some cars on the road will not have the new systems.
Have you been injured in a traffic crash anywhere in South Florida? The attorneys at Flaxman Law Group would like to be of assistance by offering a free, no obligation case review so that you can discuss your situation with a personal injury attorney. You can schedule your free accident consultation today by calling 1-866-FLAXMAN (1-866-352-9626).