CAR-TO-CAR COMMS ON THE WAY FROM VW

Volkswagen has announced that from 2019 it will start equipping its cars with technology to allow car-to-car communications.

The PWLAN network will be used to share information about traffic incidents and road conditions with a view to improving safety.

The system will also allow for car-to-infrastructure communication to allow for the rapid spread of upto-date information in a 500m radius.

VW says it intends to include the PWLAN technology as standard in its models, along with mobile phone connectivity.

Johannesneft,headofvehicle body development for Volkswagen, explained: “We want to increase road safety with the aid of networked vehicles, and the most efficient way of achieving this is through the rapid roll-out of a common technology.

“What matters most is that the technology is used consistently, and by as many manufacturers and partners as possible.”

The PWLAN technology is non-propriatory, meaning that vehicles from other manufacturers will be able to communication with each other as well as traffic control systems such as traffic lights.

When it is launched, the system will be based on warnings and information on local traffic risks that arise at short notice.

Examples would include a car making an emergency stop or the on-board sensors detecting black ice. Within a few milliseconds, this information can be shared with the local environment, allowing other road users to react appropriately.

In future it could be used by emergency response vehicles to warn of how far away they are and their direction of travel.

The technology also has the potential to aid selfdriving cars by providing them with increased data on the road conditions and behaviour of the vehicles around them.