Technology may make vehicles safer

Tennessee drivers may be interested to learn that in August 2012, the Department of Transportation rolled out a pilot program aimed at finding out whether vehicle-to-vehicle technology was viable. The test involved 3,000 cars and showed that the technology worked in real-world situations as well as between different makes of vehicle. Overall, it was determined that the majority of multi-vehicle crashes could be avoided by having vehicles communicate with each other.

Steps are being taken to enable light vehicles to take advantage of such technology. Although the technology does not actually take control of the vehicle, it allows vehicles to send raw data about speed, location and other safety data that can help a driver avoid an imminent collision. For privacy reasons, a car that is sending or receiving data is not identified by any other cars around it. In addition, the system does not take actions such as braking or steering.

If all goes well, such technology may also be used on motorcycles. This may help reduce collisions between motorcycles and other vehicles, as the technology would allow the driver of the larger vehicle to see the motorcycle and respect its right-of-way while on the road. Statistics indicate that drivers’ failure to see motorcycles is the leading cause of motorcycle accidents.

A motorcycle accident could cause spinal cord injuries or other injuries that result in the victim missing work or not being able to return to work. If such an accident was caused by another driver’s negligent actions, talking to a personal injury attorney may make it easier to win compensation to pay for medical bills and lost wages. Punitive damages may also be awarded to compensate for the negligence of the at-fault driver.

Source: Ultimate Motorcycling, “Vehicle-to-Vehicle Communications for Motorcycles?,” Gary Ilminen, Jan. 6, 2015