Highways get intelligent
By: Jack Nerad for Driving Today
Date: 2004-06-17
Have you asked your car how it's doing today? Ford has. At least it has in Minnesota where Ford Motor Company and the Minnesota Department of Transportation have announced a partnership to construct an intelligent transportation system where cars will talk to the highway, and to each other, to keep passengers out of traffic jams and bad weather.
During the first phase of the program, state police cars, ambulances, and state-owned cars and trucks will be outfitted with sensing devices that will collect traffic-related data from each vehicle, including vehicle speed, location, and heading. Weather-related data will also be obtained, including windshield wiper operation, lights on or off, outside temperature, and traction control system status.
Vehicle and roadway information will be transmitted wirelessly to the state Condition Acquisition Reporting System (CARS). The data will be analyzed and then important information derived from it will eventually be available on highway message signs, 511 telephone services and related websites. This information may also be used to deploy emergency assistance as well as road and maintenance crews.
"What has been lacking in the past is a holistic integration of vehicles with roadway infrastructure," said Dr. Charles Wu, director, Manufacturing and Vehicle Design, Ford Research and Advanced Engineering. "Through the combination of intelligent vehicle technology and ITS in the United States, we hope this program, called Vehicles-as-Sensors, will contribute to the development of the next generation in transportation and driver information systems."
Dr. Ron Miller, project leader for Intelligent Vehicle Technologies at Ford Research and Advanced Engineering said information currently flashed on roadside signs could be broadcast on a real-time basis on the car stereo as a programming interruption, or from the car cell phone (probably right when you're in the middle of an important call!) Both possibilities are being explored.
Installation of the Minnesota system will begin immediately. More than 50 vehicles are expected to be outfitted with the technology by this time next year. Late this year, the system will be in operation throughout the Minneapolis/St. Paul metropolitan area. Eventually, almost all municipal vehicles could be outfitted with the new wireless sensor technology. The result will be even more accurate and more detailed weather and traffic information that is truly statewide. The system will be expanded to the rest of the state, and other states, in the years ahead.
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