DOT IntelliDrive

The U.S. Department of Transportation is looking into developing what they call the IntelliDrive Network. Newer cars come equipped with a multitude of sensors that collect environmental data. But the information collected is only used by the car that collected it, meaning it never leaves the vehicle. In an effort to develop smart roads U.S. Department of Transportation is researching and developing a real-time network for cars to communicate with each other and a road system infrastructure. Using information such as the time the windshield wipers were automatically turned on or off along with the temperature sensors. The activation of anti-lock brakes, traction control, and stability control could be used to deduce and determine road slickness. The IntelliDrive system could be up and running as soon as 2014.

Other Possible Features:

Tell Me About The Route-Realtime information about a specific travel route:

• Route choice (choose the most eco-friendly, or the fastest route)
• Traffic (avoid areas of high traffic congestion, take alternate routes, delay travel)
• Travel times (determine which is quicker-driving or public transit)
• Road condition alerts (speed zone information, work zones, upcoming intersections, hazard alerts)
• Transit planning (transit schedule and GPS-based current transit status)
• Personal notification of your bus stop or bus transfer point.

Watch Out for Me-Safety alerts (to make road users aware of each other).

• Collision avoidance
• Vehicle distress signals (alerts other drivers that help is needed)
• Pedestrian alerts (notifies drivers of pedestrians in their path; allows pedestrians to tell the traffic signal that they need more time to cross the road).

Smart Parking-Up-to-the-minute information about parking availability.

Source: RITA