DOT Proposes All Vehicles Should Communicate With Each Other by 2023
The Delaware auto accident attorneys of Silverman, McDonald & Friedman help their clients pursue compensation when they have been injured in an accident caused by the negligence of another person. You are welcome contact us to meet with a member of our legal team in one of our offices, located in Seaford, Wilmington and Newark.
In December, 2016, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) proposed a new rule that would mandate V2V (vehicle-to-vehicle) communications for light vehicles, which would allow cars to talk to one another and avoid traffic crashes. As a part of their goal of saving as many lives as possible from traffic fatalities in the next 30 years, this new rule would allow V2V technology, which could potentially save hundreds of thousands of crashes each year.
What is V2V communication technology?
The images on the NHTSA website show passenger vehicles and buses moving along a street surrounded by a series of concentric (invisible) circles, which represent the 360-degree range of communication between vehicles. This technology would allow the vehicles to share location information that would prevent accidents, ease traffic congestion and improve the environment. V2V would allow vehicles to not only exchange data with other vehicles, but with road signs, stop lights and other traffic signals, your home, your phone and other connected devices. Wired magazine says of V2V technology, “Connected cars, meantime, will help cities and states cut down on congestion and improve safety. On the road, cars will talk to each other, automatically transmitting data such as speed, position, and direction, and send alerts to each other if a crash seems imminent.”
The DOT says that V2V devices would use dedicated short range communications (DSRC) to transmit data, which includes information on the location, direction and speed to other vehicles in the immediate vicinity. The data, says the NHTSA, would be broadcast up to ten times per second to nearby vehicles, which in turn can use the information they receive to identify risks and warn the driver to avoid an imminent crash.
There is no need to worry about privacy with all of that data swirling around as NTSA says that V2V technology does not involve data linked to or linkable to an individual. The new rule requires extensive privacy and security controls in V2V devices. The DOT’s proposed rulemaking on V2V technology will be open for public comment for 90 days.
While in the not-too-distant future our cars will “talk” to one another to avoid crashes, for the moment, we are still responsible to be alert and aware when behind the wheel. Your attention on the task of driving is what will protect your life and the lives of the other drivers with whom you share the road.
If you have been injured in a car crash or any other accident with a motor vehicle, we are here to help you get the compensation you need. At the Delaware law offices of Silverman, McDonald & Friedman, we serve clients in Newark, Seaford, Wilmington and throughout Delaware. Call us today at 302.414.5553 or fill out our quick contact form to schedule a free consultation to discuss your injury case with an experienced auto accident attorney today.
Attorney Jeffrey S. Friedman joined Silverman, McDonald & Friedman in 2001. He graduated from Widener University School of Law, and is admitted to practice law in Delaware and Pennsylvania, and in several Federal Circuit courts. He areas of concentration include auto accident and workers’ compensation cases. Read more about Attorney Friedman here.