Are you ready for the future? In the next 15 years, road infrastructure will be greatly developed and lighting technology will play an important role.

From improving the driver’s awareness to divert traffic flow, connected car technologies and road lighting will significantly affect the quality of transportation and the safety of drivers and pedestrians. Jay Sachetti, senior marketing manager of Eaton Lighting responsible for the networking community, introduced the status and future of automotive networking and the role of road lighting.

What is connected car technology?

Connected automotive technology enables networked wireless communications between automobiles, system infrastructure, and personal communication devices, with high security and interoperability. Some of the most advanced collision avoidance technologies in cars today include onboard sensors, cameras, and radar applications. These technologies will alert the driver to impending danger so that the driver can take corrective action or the system can even intervene on his own.

What is its working principle?

Vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communication is another step that helps alert the driver of the danger. V2V communication uses vehicle-specific short-range radio communication equipment to transmit and receive information such as the car's speed, direction of travel, and braking status. Range and line-of-sight capabilities exceed current systems and, in some cases, even reach nearly twice the range. This long range detection and the ability to observe corners or surroundings through other vehicles will help cars equipped with V2V communications to detect some of the threats earlier and alert the driver accordingly.

Connected car technology also allows vehicles to exchange infrastructure information (such as traffic signals or road lighting) through V2I communications (car-to-infrastructure). In addition to providing security advantages for connected cars, V2I communications also provide mobility. This standardization of automotive data will be used in the future for true adaptive control systems for road lighting and traffic lights.

At present, U.S. federal and local government officials are trying to implement networking. The Michigan Department of Transportation (DOT) is testing the first networked workspace on an I-75 in southern Detroit. The Michigan Department of Transportation (DOT) hopes to alert drivers of information that includes whether the staff is present, what type of work is in progress, and when it begins. The US Department of Transportation is also testing the technology in three locations: New York City, Tampa, and Wyoming.

How will connected lighting technology continue to change our path?

Traffic lights, street signs, and even warning signs for construction sites will quickly become part of the connected ecosystem, providing and receiving information to make driving smoother.

All traffic lights have different timings. Drivers sometimes do not understand whether they can pass the yellow light before clearing traffic, or whether the turn signal is activated. However, when traffic lights communicate with the car, drivers can make safer decisions.

Sachetti said: "V2I will really function as a sensor technology lighting. The distance between road lights is generally 30 to 90 meters, and the installation height is generally 6 to 12 meters. This provides a favorable location for all aspects, from the intersection Go to the hilly area to facilitate continued V2I communication."

Vehicle data points, including speed, location, ambient light levels, and road friction, as well as humidity, temperature, and road reflectance, will be input into the ELMS. ELMS will dynamically adjust or adaptively control the light level on the road. Sachetti said: "These data points can ensure the safety of pedestrians and drivers, reminding drivers who are red and even crossing the street."

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) of the United States predicts that with V2V and V2I, the severity of non-accident car accidents can be eliminated or reduced by more than 80%, including accidents at intersections or in lanes. Networked lighting technology will play a major role in the future.