GM Wi-Fi Direct-equipped cars to detect cyclists

[Aushiker]

General Motors is working to expand upon its vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) and vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communication systems that are being developed to allow information to be shared between vehicles and infrastructure to provide advance warning of potential road hazards, such as stalled vehicles, slippery roads, road works, intersections, stop signs and the like. The automaker is now looking to add pedestrians and cyclists to the mix so a car can detect them in low visibility conditions before the driver does.

Instead of relying on Dedicated Short-Range Communications (DSRC) technology like the V2I and V2V systems, the pedestrian-detecting system under development uses Wi-Fi Direct, a peer-to-peer standard that allows Wi-Fi devices, such as smartphones and tablets, to connect directly to each other without the need for a wireless hotspot.

GM says that integrating Wi-Fi Direct with other sensor-based object detection and driver alert systems already available in many production vehicles will enable pedestrians and cyclists carrying Wi-Fi Direct-enabled smartphones to be detected. And whereas conventional systems will have a lag of around seven to eight seconds because a signal needs to be sent to and from a mobile phone tower, Wi-Fi Direct offers location data that is current up to one second as it eliminates this intermediate step.

More details at Gizmag.

Andrew

[Max]

Because trusting motorists to use their eyes, ears and brains to detect other road users really is too much to ask.

</cynicism>

Max

[ozdavo]

Police: sir what do you have to say in defence about running over the cyclist?
Motorist: it not my fault, my car didn't tell me he was there!

[Mulger bill]

What a great idea!

Now than relax and avoid mis spellings 'cos they'll only have to look up from their smartphone when the car beeps at them.

[il padrone]

Police: sir what do you have to say in defence about running over the cyclist?
Motorist: it not my fault, my car didn't tell me he was there!

He didn't have a smart-phone, I couldn't see him.


Scurrilous BS systems IMHO

[Ross]

Car drivers need less gizmos and need to use their own built in gizmos that nature provided (sight, hearing etc). People are becoming to lazy and complacent and relying on technology too much. Good examples are people who have driven off roads becasue the GPS "told" them to.

[g-boaf]

Car drivers need less gizmos and need to use their own built in gizmos that nature provided (sight, hearing etc). People are becoming to lazy and complacent and relying on technology too much. Good examples are people who have driven off roads becasue the GPS "told" them to.

Perhaps cars need more gizmos. Like a gizmo that won't allow you to start the engine if the car detects that your phone or music-player is turned on.