Car firms start Europe-wide accident communication project

In cooperation with Here Technologies, Tom Tom and the transport authorities in six European countries, Daimler, BMW, Ford and Volvo are testing how information about acutely hazardous situations can be passed on using Car-to-X technology.

The project partners signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) in Eindhoven, Netherlands. The test phase is scheduled to last twelve months, starting in the Netherlands.

How can information about a sudden hazard – e.g. slippery conditions or an accident – be passed on to following or approaching traffic as quickly as possible?

Daimler has already used mobile networking technologies as standard to send hazard warnings from vehicle to vehicle (Car-to-Car) since 2013.

For the first time, leading OEMs and navigation services are now working on a joint, non manufacturer specific and EU-wide solution.

The transport ministries in Germany, Spain, Finland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Sweden are supporting the project.

The aim of the pilot is to conduct research into the technical, economic and legal aspects of Car-to-X, the term used to describe communication between vehicles and with the transport infrastructure.

Sajjad Khan, Executive Vice President, Member of Divisional Board, Mercedes-Benz, CASE: “Car-to-X communication has the potential to significantly improve safety on the roads.

“With this project we are raising previous approaches to a new level: For the first time we have numerous highly capable and effective partners on board, so that warning messages can reach a large number of road users practically in real time. This can save lives.”

The project partners are working on the principle of non technology-specific testing and further development of information flows using Car-to-X technology.

Already installed, mobile radio based communication systems will be used for the pilot project. These are tried and tested, and immediately available.

Over the coming twelve months, the project will e.g. focus on matters of data compatibility and cloud-based data processing. At first the companies taking part will use the currently installed communication technologies and file formats, and where necessary develop them further and harmonise them in the next stage.

Cooperation between the project partners will start in the Netherlands, and is to be gradually extended to other EU countries.