The US government is considering a proposal to require car manufacturers to equip vehicles with short-range wireless technology that would enable them to communicate with one another. The measure aims to avoid vehicular crashes in a country that has seen over 6 million collisions in the last year.
In order to "talk," cars and trucks will use short-range communications that can deliver information like its location and speed to other vehicles within a distance of up to 300 meters. The transmitted data will alert cars and warn drivers when a crash is imminent, Reuters reports.
The US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration first put the proposal forward in 2014, but it has seen no progress. Now the agency is looking to give automobile makers up to four years to comply once the proposal is adopted by the incoming Trump administration, while old cars will be given up to two years to have the technology.
Under the proposed policy, automakers should use the same technology so that all cars speak the same language. US Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx had said using the technology is a "no brainer" from the perspective of road safety, as it is believed to prevent up to 8 out of 10 vehicular crashes that do not involve drink-driving.
Manufacturers like General Motors, Toyota, and Volkswagen have pledged to study the proposal, according to a trade group representing them. Yet there are hurdles along the way.
One of them is that the airwaves that would be dedicated to vehicle-to-vehicle communications may interfere with wi-fi signals, the New York Times reports. And then there are risks of cyber-attacks, although the government has said the system will be encrypted.
The government will welcome comments on the proposal from the public for three months. So, if you have something to say, feel free to do so.
What do you think of the proposal? Do you believe it can prevent car crashes?
