Global, non-profit research and development firm Battelle is testing vehicle-to-vehicle communications sytems installed on 2,800 transit buses in Columbus, Ohio, that has direct implications for school buses even if “down the road,” according to one researcher. But the biggest challenge to widespread adoption could be funding.
As part of the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Connected Vehicle research program on how technology could help motorists avoid collisions, the wireless technoloyg utilizes 5.9-GHz dedicated short-range communication radios (DSCRs) and custom software that detects vehicles ahead of the bus that are braking abruptly and alerts the bus driver. Radios on the bus also transmit messages to other similarly equipped vehicleson the bus’ position, speed and heading. Additional technology that will be added later to the buses include pedestrian detection systems.
USDOT has targeted Basic Safety Messages, or BSM, between vehicles as a potential way to share speed and location data to prevent collisions. A core element of this technology is GPS that works with a Controller Area Network, or CAN, that allows access to a wide range of on-board vehicle data, said Matt Burt, Battelle’s project manager. Essentially, this allows vehicles to communicate with each other on the road using GPS data to prevent collisions.
The Battelle program began in January and is specifically under contract with the Federal Highway Administration. Burt said results may influence NHTSA’s 2013 rulemaking agenda for on-board safety equipment.
“Absolutely a lot of this technology has legs for school buses,” added Burt, using the example of tying routing information into GPS. “One of the core fundamentals and the defining objectives of this pilot is focusing on Dedicated Short Range Communications between two vehicles. As a rule, safety model pilot deployment apps are keying on vehicle-to-vehicle or vehicle-to-infrastructure exchange with less emphasis on vehicle or road-side sensors but instead more communication between two vehicles using on-board equipment.”
DSCR is one element of the Safety Pilot Model Deployment, a $14.9 million, 30-month contract awarded by the U.S. Department of Transportation to the University of Michigan’s Transportation Research Institute for developing vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-infrastructurre safety applications. This month, Battelle is also installing the technology on three transit buses in Ann Arbor, Mich., as part of this pilot project, which will last for the next 12 months.
“A challenge of migrating this technology is funding,” said Burt. “But the potential is there.”
