Sooner or later, most drivers will make a mistake that could lead to an accident. Driver error is a common cause of car wrecks. Drivers can be distracted, exhausted, irritated or confused at exactly the wrong moment, leading to a serious crash. Eliminating driver error would drastically reduce the number of auto accidents that occur every year on American roads. The National Transportation Safety Board is hoping that connected-vehicle technology can help. Cars that communicate with one another, with the road, and with drivers may prevent thousands of accidents every year. If you have been injured in a car accident, you may be eligible for compensation. Contact our Chicago car accident lawyers today.
The NTSB recently asked the federal government to require automakers to equip all new vehicles with technology that would all cars to communicate with one another wirelessly. Such devices send and receive information regarding the speed, location and direction of vehicles on the road. If a potential collision is detected, the devices can alert drivers using a warning light or alarm or can even apply the brakes directly. In addition, stop signs, stop lights and other danger areas can be equipped with devices to help drivers avoid collisions in those areas, as well.
Some automakers are wary of a requirement to use the technology. Lane departure systems, which inform drivers when they are wandering out of their lane, have been problematic for drivers and car companies. There have been rumblings of an overabundance of lights, warnings and gadgets in vehicles, causing drivers to ignore signals from the vehicle. Car makers want to be sure that the devices will benefit their consumers and be useful enough to warrant the cost involved.
The NTSB is not a rulemaking body. It does not have the authority to implement a mandate regarding vehicle to vehicle technology. Several recent recommendations by the NTSB have been ignored by government officials. For now, safety experts will simply have to imagine the potential of talking cars and the lives such technology could save.
Source: Politico, “NTSB goal: A nation of communicating vehicles,” by Kevin Robillard, 25 July 2013