What is a Connected Vehicle?

The Wikipedia definition of a connected car is: “A connected car is a car that is equipped with Internet access, and usually also with a wireless local area network. This allows the car to share internet access with other devices both inside as well as outside the vehicle.”

Outlook:

Current research and momentum are moving well beyond this with vehicle to vehicle (V2V) and vehicle to roadside infrastructure (V2I) applications and technology. Imagine a safer world, one with near crash-free driving!

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) says that this technology could be a game changer, with the potential to reduce 80% of all vehicle crashes involving non-impaired drivers. As a result, putting teenagers behind the wheel for the first time can be less of a worry for parents. Travel time can be reduced through real-time assessments of all potential routes, traffic, and emergency updates like accidents and weather. The possibilities for improvements with this technology are astounding!

 In addition to these factors the continued improvements to fuel efficiency and vehicle design by manufacturers will lead to huge time and money savings. The possibilities are as exciting as they are endless; travel as we know it is rapidly changing for the better.

The Future is Now

All sound farfetched? Research and the creation of standards are already underway with the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) and the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE). The efforts are centered on the use of the 5.850 to 5.925 GHz spectrum. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is currently exploring whether this spectrum can be shared with unlicensed Wi-Fi devices. Certainly applications and demand for spectrum are continuously growing. Consequently it will be very interesting to see the path legislation in regards to the connected vehicle, the use of the spectrum, and general technological advances will take in the near future. Networking News will continue to keep you up to date!