One of the most common and spectacular visions out there is a utopia of driverless cars that navigate our morning commutes for us – all the while decreasing traffic congestion, reducing our stress, and making us safer.
At a recent SEMCOG Transportation Coordinating Council meeting, we heard about the brand new Mcity Test Facility set to open at the University of Michigan’s Mobility Transformation Center. At Mcity, automated or “autonomous” cars will be tested in a realistic setting to see how well they function on an actual roadway.
Mcity Test Facility diagram (Source: http://www.mtc.umich.edu/test-facility)
While there is nothing simple about designing or launching a driverless car, the concept itself has a simple elegance to it. Driverless cars might be the seen as the holy grail of new transportation technologies for auto companies, but they are just one of the new things being tested at Mcity and elsewhere.
Dedicated short-range communications (DSRC) – technology that connects vehicles and infrastructure – may be a bit harder to imagine than an autonomous car and a bit less spectacular, but DSRC may also have more immediate and wide-reaching impact. Connected-vehicle technology is also an issue to which our region should really be paying close attention.
According to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) Program, some possible applications of DSRC include:
- Blind spot, forward collision, sudden braking ahead, approaching emergency vehicle, do not pass, and rollover warnings;
- Intersection collision avoidance and movement assistance;
- Vehicle safety and commercial vehicle clearance inspection;
- Transit or emergency vehicle signal priority;
- Electronic parking or toll payments;
- In-vehicle signing; and
- Traffic and travel condition data to improve traveler information and maintenance services.
A big difference between an autonomous car and a connected car is that the latter requires widespread implementation to be truly effective. What’s the use of having a car that can talk if no one else’s cars can listen? How helpful is a car that can receive safety warnings if there is no infrastructure in place to send the warnings?
Connected-vehicle technology is a priority of the federal government and may be required in all new cars in the future. Full realization of this technology will also require the technology to be integrated in our roadway infrastructure. This needs to be considered as roadway improvements are planned.
Dedicated short-range communications device in Downtown Detroit
Our regional legacy as the Automotive Capital of the World may depend on how well we implement these technologies, and we must not miss the opportunity. Southeast Michigan is in a prime position to lead. We have state-of-the-art facilities, a wealth of talent, and new technologies already being studied and developed here.
The future of mobility is still wide open, but we must keep moving forward before the door closes.
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