Driverless cars have been a trending topic of late. We’re finally getting there. Already, we have semi-autonomous vehicles that are operating safely and making travel more efficient. V2v communication is likely to play a major role in driverless cars.
V2x communication is the two-way transmission of messages between vehicles and other entities on roads, including pedestrians, other vehicles, services on the internet, and infrastructure such as traffic lights and intersections.
The two major goals of v2x communication are improved safety and more efficient travel. With v2x communication, a huge percentage of road accidents caused by human error can be eliminated.
In this article, we’ll look at how v2x communication improves road safety and go over some of the most useful applications of the technology. We’ll also look at how it works, including the various technologies that make up vehicle-to-everything communication (v2x).
How V2X Improves Road Safety
V2v and v2i communication are two of the most important components of v2x communication, as we’ll see below. They also contribute a great deal to the safety aspect of car to car communication.
V2x improves road safety primarily by enhancing the situational awareness of vehicles and enabling intelligent vehicle systems to act to prevent accidents.
At early stages, these are some of the safety features that v2x will provide:
- Emergency electronic brake light warning. This helps avoid colliding into a stationary vehicle that a driver can’t see because of obstructions.
- Blind spot warning. This helps warn drivers for example when vehicles are about to encroach onto their lanes.
- Blind intersection warning. This helps avoid collisions between vehicles that can’t see each other approaching an intersection.
- Do not pass warning. This detects oncoming vehicles and gives an alert in case it’s not safe to pass a vehicle.
Components of V2x Communication
V2V Communication
Vehicle to vehicle (v2v) communication is the transmission of messages between vehicles on a road. Typically, it takes place through ad-hoc networks, that is networks that are established temporarily between vehicles in the same area for the purpose of short-term communication.
V2v communication happens over a short range and is enabled by Wi-Fi based technology.
V2I Communication
Vehicle to infrastructure (V2I) communication happens between vehicles and road-side units.
Road-side units (RSUs) are devices that are fitted on road-side infrastructure. They typically consist of sensors and communication devices. The sensors capture information about the environment. The information is then processed and used to ensure safety and efficiency on that road.
For example, if a vulnerable road user is not within the line of sight of a vehicle, an RSU can alert the vehicle, potentially avoiding an accident.
V2i is especially useful in safety when dealing with vehicles or other road users that don’t have v2x capability.
V2p Communication
Vehicle to person (v2p) communication is the transmission of real-time messages between v2x-enabled vehicles and pedestrians equipped with v2x-enabled devices.
V2p communication is useful for reducing the number of pedestrians and cyclists involved in accidents. It’s especially useful when the people are outside the line of sight of the vehicle, for example at an intersection.
V2N Communication
While other v2x components such as v2v and v2i communication are primarily for safety, v2n communication is for infotainment.
With v2n communication, vehicles can be informed of weather conditions, road accidents, or traffic jams ahead. It can also facilitate features such as park assist.
V2n communication is mainly implemented through cv2x.
What Is Cv2x?
There are two main communication technologies used in the implementation of v2x technology. These include cv2x and DSRC.
Cellular V2x (C-v2x) is v2x implemented through cellular technology such as LTE, 4G, and 5G.
C-V2x differs from DSRC in that it depends on cell coverage. In an area without cell coverage, or with poor cell coverage, v2x communication would be affected. C-v2x might also be subject to weather conditions.
On the other hand, DSRC can operate everywhere and at any time. It uses technologies such as Radar over distances of around 300m and is independent of weather conditions.
What Is DSRC?
Dedicated Short Range Communications (DSRC) is the term used to refer to v2x implemented through short-range wi-fi communication.
DSRC has high reliability as it is not affected by weather conditions. It also has high latency, even in high-speed conditions.
It is mostly useful in enhancing road safety, cooperative driving, and autonomous driving. When it comes to V2N communication, DSRC falls short.
Conclusion
V2x technology enables vehicles to communicate with all other entities on the road, from infrastructure such as intersections and traffic lights to pedestrians.
The benefits of v2x include enhanced road safety, better autonomous driving, and more efficient road travel.
V2x enables a host of features, both for safety and convenience. These include park assist, do not pass warnings, vulnerable road user alerts, and blind spot warnings.
With v2x, vehicles traveling in the same direction can platoon, saving on fuel.
This is the future of road travel.