Are you ready for the future to come? Over the next 15 years, roadway infrastructure will evolve considerably and lighting technology will play an important role.

From increasing driver awareness to easing traffic flow, connected vehicle technology and roadway lighting will significantly impact the quality of transportation and the safety of drivers and pedestrians. Jay Sachetti, Senior Marketing Manager for Connected Communities at Eaton Lighting, describes the present and future of connected cars and the role of roadway lighting.

What is connected car technology?

Connected car technology enables networked wireless communications between vehicles, system infrastructure and personal communication devices that are secure and interoperable. Some of the most advanced collision avoidance technologies in cars today include on-board sensors, cameras and radar applications. These technologies alert the driver of an impending danger so that the driver will take corrective action or the system can even intervene on its own.

How does it work?

Vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communication is another step in helping to alert drivers to hazards.V2V communication uses on-board, specialized short-range radio communication equipment to transmit and receive information such as the vehicle's speed, direction of travel, and braking status. The range and line-of-sight capabilities will exceed current systems, in some cases reaching nearly twice the range. This long-range detection and the ability to look around corners or through other vehicles could help cars equipped with V2V communications to detect certain threats earlier and alert drivers accordingly.

Connected car technology also allows cars to exchange information about infrastructure (e.g., traffic signals or road lighting) through V2I communications (vehicle-to-infrastructure).V2I communications provide mobility in addition to security benefits to connected cars. This standardization of vehicle data will be used in the future for truly adaptive control systems for road lighting and traffic signals.

Currently, U.S. federal and local government officials are attempting to implement connectedness. The Michigan Department of Transportation (DOT) is testing the first connected work zone on an I-75 highway south of Detroit. The Michigan Department of Transportation (DOT) hopes to alert drivers to information that will include whether crews are present, what type of operation is underway and when it will begin. The U.S. Department of Transportation is also testing the technology in three locations, including New York City, Tampa and Wyoming.

How will connected lighting technology continue to change our roads?

Traffic signals, street signs and even reminder signs at construction sites will soon be part of the connected ecosystem, providing and receiving information to make driving smoother.

All traffic lights are timed differently. Drivers sometimes don't understand things like whether they can get through a yellow light before clearing traffic, or whether a turn signal is active. However, when traffic lights communicate with cars, drivers can make safer decisions.

V2I will really take advantage of the function of sensor technology lighting," says Sachetti. Roadway lights are typically spaced 30 to 90 meters apart and installed at heights of 6 to 12 meters. This provides vantage points for all aspects, from intersections to hilly terrain, thus facilitating continuous V2I communication."

Vehicle data points, including speed, position, ambient light levels and roadway friction, as well as things such as humidity, temperature and roadway reflectivity, will be fed into the Electric Lighting and Management System (ELMS).The ELMS will dynamically adjust or adaptively control light levels on the roadway.Sachetti says, "These data points ensure pedestrian and driver safety by alerting drivers who run red lights and even animals crossing the street."

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) expects that more than 80 percent of non-impaired crashes, including crashes at intersections or lane changes, can be eliminated or mitigated in severity through V2V and V2I. Connected lighting technology will play a major role in the future.

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