[mayuresh]

We have a couple of threads on autonomous cars, though I didn't find a thread dedicated to what is in store for automobiles with advent of ubiquitous networking infrastructure. With "internet of things" being talked about, how would "internet of cars" look like.

We may like to share articles related to the topic on this thread, as well as state a wish list of practicable yet novel ideas about use of internet or communication networks in general to make life safer on road and will add value to the quality of transit.

To kick this off, a couple of articles:

1. A recent article:

The Internet of Cars Is Approaching a Crossroads. Some excerpts

... peer-to-peer communication network capable of alerting drivers and onboard computers about what's happening on the road-and what may be about to happen next.

... for example, another driver several cars ahead (and out of view) applies the brakes suddenly, or if their onboard computer notices another car approaching an intersection ahead at a speed that could cause a collision.

... it would offer a much cheaper way for semiautonomous vehicles to sense their surrounding than the expensive laser ranging equipment (like Google's autonomous cars)

An experiment with such technologies involving 2800 vehicles is ongoing for last 10 month and its findings will be published in Aug.

2. I had posted something I had read on another thread before, which I'll cite here: http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/indian...ml#post2868819

Originally Posted by mayuresh

About VAN: Vehicle Area Networks (VANs) will be a significant part of Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) in future. It is expected that VANs will be ubiquitous by 2016.

<snip>

Key components of VAN are divided into following categories:

- In-Vehicle (various monitors and medical assistance equipments etc), further subdivided into passive (reactive) and active (preventive) safety measures

- V2V (vehicle to vehicle) (data exchange about road condition, safe space, lane keeping etc.)

- V2I (vehicle to road infrastructure) (auto detection of signals/obstacles/road conditions and warnings related to them)

- V2B (vehicle to broadband cloud) (driver behavior analysis, fatigue detection etc., other vehicle data such as speed, location).

[S@ndy]

It's good to see the effects of expanding networking infrastructure for the benefit of safety in automobile sector. Of late, many concepts have been seen incorporating this for V2V communication but still, none has been able to introduce these in their vehicles. However, with the sudden rapid increment in networking infrastructure, I, for certain, won't like the electronics to dilute the very fun of driving (Yes, Google CEO, I'm giving an answer to you!). The feel of driving a car would vanish if Electronics were to take over the controls. This is the main reason why the vehicles of today have lost the charm of Classics and the purity of drive of classic cars. Already, these days due to stringent safety laws, electronics have diluted the essence of a pure drive and I would want this but only to an extent but also would like a pure drive from the car I own! Oh! So demanding!

Now it's up to the manufacturers to maintain a balance between electronics for safety of passengers and purity of driving experience for driver sitting in their cars. It's a tough job, on one side, they have to cope with the stringent safety laws and on other hand, they also have to hear the demands of the enthusiasts. All the best, is all I can say!

Keep revvin'
S@ndy

[mayuresh]

A recent article on V2V communications and the challenges they face:

http://www.informationweek.com/gover...umps/240163635

Lists some of the warnings / features achievable with V2V (going by the acronyms, looks like these are going to be sort of "standard" terms)

-- Emergency electronic brake lights (EEBL) warning.
-- Blind spot warning (BSW)
-- Lane change warning (LCW)
-- Forward collision warning (FCW)
-- Do not pass warning (DNPW)
-- Intersection movement assist (IMA)
-- Left turn assist (LTA) [of course considering US]

Article also cites some of the challenges V2V technologies face.

[mayuresh]

"By 2018, cars will be self-aware"

http://www.computerworld.com/s/artic..._be_self_aware

Related video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fv2gzhrjMVI

"Cars will become the first robot most of us experience in our lifetime" - Gartner.

Ultimately, your car will become just another part of your mobile data plan. There could even come a day when cars will be discounted -- or free -- depending on how long consumers are willing to commit to a data plan, Kowlowski said. "Maybe you'll get a car for free if you sign up for lifetime data contract,"

[Bh.P]

Interesting read
http://www.wired.com/autopia/2014/02.../?cid=18016644

The future of automotive safety isn’t about more airbags or stronger steel. It’s about building smarter automobiles that talk to each other, so your car knows that other car is about to run a red light and applies the brakes to save your bacon. The feds think such technology, called vehicle-to-vehicle communication, is a great idea and want to make sure every new car has it.

The U.S. Department of Transportation and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration have approved V2V communication systems that regulators say will increase safety, reduce accidents and pave the way for connected cars. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx said V2V technology could do for motorists in the coming years what seatbelts did in the 1960s and airbags did a generation ago.


“V2V has the potential to help drivers avoid 70 to 80 percent of crashes that involve unimpaired drivers,” Foxx said. “The potential of this technology is absolutely enormous.”
....

While the V2V communication is already there, I guess it will take time to put in systems in the vehicles to respond to the situations automatically to achieve the safety. So it could be some time before they enforce this law.

On the one hand we have this thread discussing poor safety standards in the Indian automotive scene, while on the other hand, developed nations are moving towards highly advanced safety systems. We have a lot of catching up to do, which may not happen till we learn to place very high value on human life.

Mods: Please merge if required. Could not find a thread already discussing this.

[vikram_d]

A lot of automakers are already investing a lot in research in the V2V communication area. Ford and Toyota are already working on a connected cars system.

http://www.telecoms.com/62682/toyota...logies-at-ces/

[hellmet]

Whatever is available in a large quantity has a lower value. Be it products, or human beings.

Coming to the topic, I also hope at some point they mandate a system that tracks driver behavior and reports it to a database for insurance agencies to refer to, and punish bad drivers in the form of increased premiums. Law enforcement agencies could also keep a tab on routine bad drivers.

[mayuresh]

Regulators give a go ahead to V2V in the US:

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/h...w/29878959.cms

`Talking cars' get green light in US
US regulators gave the green light on Monday to the use of vehicle-to-vehicle communication technology that can exchange basic safety data such as speed and position to help avoid collisions.

[CaliAtenza]

Originally Posted by mayuresh

A recent article on V2V communications and the challenges they face:

http://www.informationweek.com/gover...umps/240163635

Lists some of the warnings / features achievable with V2V (going by the acronyms, looks like these are going to be sort of "standard" terms)



Article also cites some of the challenges V2V technologies face.

sadly those safety features would be useless in India because they would just be going off all the time :(.

[mayuresh]

This 5 min video is on European Union sponsored Choreos project.

One can skip the time to 3:10, where a scenario is shown. A lady planning a journey and covering shopping and site seeing before taking a flight. A number of connected devices, including V2V communications help her adjust the itinerary dynamically so that she can make the most of the time available.

Depending on your perspective you may call it fiction or future. But an interesting animation anyway.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lrr06TfrYxI

[rishie]

Originally Posted by mayuresh

Depending on your perspective you may call it fiction or future.

I would definitely say its the future, and not fiction, as there is considerable amount of research going on, and with the US government approval, this has gained momentum.

Also look at the following thread for some discussion happened in the past.

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/techni...on-safety.html