Climate Change
The future is close at hand assists on the safety side because fewer cars mean fewer
So, consider these following three scenarios: chances for collisions, or a collateral accident,” explains
• No. 1 - Today’s technology: A vehicle traveling north Scott McCormick, founder and president of the
on I-95 near New Jersey gets notice from its onboard Connected Vehicle Trade Association (CVTA) based in
traffic service of a major traffic jam at the George Wash- Plymouth, Michigan. The CVTA includes the many elec-
ington Bridge. Pulling over to the nearest rest stop, the tronics and technology companies providing the
driver maps out an alternative route using embedded telematics, sensing, mapping and wireless communica-
navigation equipment. tion functionality that are necessary to create connected
• No. 2 - The near future: This same driver is able to vehicles.
access the Web via the vehicle’s embedded WiFi. When
the alert comes in about snarled traffic half an hour up Consensus of opinion
the road, the driver is able to access any number of on McCormick says CVTA members are focusing today on
line mapping services to pinpoint the best alternative technology to be possibly embedded in automobiles
route. Turn-by-turn voice directions are provided. and commercial vehicles. No automaker or electronics
• No. 3 - An estimated decade from now: The same company, no matter how large, is willing to move from
driver will receive traffic jam alerts from nearby cars prototype to mass production without a strong business
that cascade information from vehicle-to-vehicle with- case, particularly in tight economic times, he adds.
out any traffic information service intervention. Alterna- Although many technologies that could move the con-
tive routes can be accessed via the Web, or may be nected vehicle from prototype to reality are in use today
broadcast from other vehicles using any number of in some form or another, there’s no consensus at the time
wireless devices. of writing about which communication pipe will most
The result of any of these scenarios is reduced idling. effectively broadcast information wirelessly to drivers.
With enough warning, vehicles are able to skirt traffic Whether cellular, WiFi, WiMax or dedicated short-range
tie-ups, meaning they aren’t spewing greenhouse gases communication (DSRC), all have strengths and short-
into the atmosphere. Although some environmental comings.
activists argue that only major reductions in driving will • Dedicated Short-Range Communication
actually reduce the 30 per cent, or so, of (DSRC): A strong contender to handle
greenhouse gases that the transporta-
“Cost effective (not
safety functions, today’s DSRC-based
tion sector contributes to climate transponders can only communicate
change (aka global warming), most
to mention cost-
about 300 meters under good condi-
transport experts agree that this is as
effective) fashion
tions. Embedding readers throughout
unlikely as the mass adoption of the the country’s highway network, which
hydrogen vehicle in the next five years
has not been
would be necessary for ubiquitous
(Thinking Highways North American
resolved”
transmission, is cost-prohibitive. Tar-
Edition, November/December 2008). geting deployment in higher traffic
areas and metropolitan areas, however, is very feasible.
Less is most definitely more Adoption of DSRC technology based on the so-called
The same technology, which falls under the general WAVE standard could extend short-range communica-
intelligent transportation systems (ITS) umbrella (to be tion to almost a mile and would allow for creation of a
applied to what is called “the connected vehicle”) can national transponder to be embedded in cars and trucks
be deployed in many ways to mitigate greenhouse gases at tremendous savings to the consumer, according to
and promote driver safety at the same time. For exam- WAVE standards developers like Lee Armstrong of
ple, information on traffic backups received in a timely Southampton, Massachussets. However, the issue of
fashion may spare drivers collisions due to sudden slow where to place highway readers in the most effective
downs. Fewer accidents means reduced traffic jams (not to mention cost-effective) fashion has not been
from the accident and elimination of gawking on the resolved.
other side of a highway, itself a cause of traffic snarls. • A Cellular/DSRC Combination: McCormick
When sensors embedded in the vehicle’s tires will be notes that some cellphone handset vendors are research-
able to report road conditions and relay that information ing ways to implant DSRC chips in their phones along
from vehicle-to-vehicle, the driver also will be able to with GPS chips for tracking. One advantage to cellular
reduce speed and take precautions in icy or snowy con- communication is that it has its own spectrum and
ditions. Again, accidents may be avoided that contrib- doesn’t interfere with other wireless communications.
ute to highway deaths and idling. However, cellular can’t differentiate between human
Then there’s fuel consumption, which the experts note walking, biking or cars, buses and trucks, McCormick
can be reduced with the deployment of a wide array of explains.
ITS technologies. These include everything from engine • Wireless Networks: WiFi allows for Internet
diagnostic tools that track tire pressure, oil and fuel lev- communication of less than a mile, is “also a great choice
els, to services that range from assisting with route plan- for mobility functions and offers a more immediate solu-
ning to directing drivers to the closest service station. tion,” adds McCormick. WiMax has a larger range, but
“If you’re parked on a highway driving a hybrid, you’re “its bandwidth must be apportioned equally to all the
still burning fuel. Avoiding congestion avoids idling and devices in an area. With 20 test cars it looks great, with
18 Vol 4 No 1 Thinking Highways www.thinkinghighways.com
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