U.S. Transportation Department Announces Ambitious, High-Tech Roadway Safety Plan
DOT plans to deploy new vehicle-to-everything/”V2X” technology by 2036.
According to The Detroit News, the U.S. Department of Transportation announced Friday an ambitious plan to deploy new, interconnected safety technology in cars and on roadways across the country between now and 2036.
The plan promises to make use of vehicle-to-everything or “V2X” technology, an umbrella term referring to the real-time transfer of data between vehicles, stationary infrastructure, personal smart devices and more. That data can be used to create safety alerts for drivers, enable advanced vehicle safety features that prevent crashes and improve traffic flows.
“I am unaware of a more significant technology deployment that we can do, other than V2X, right now, that can help save lives and make people’s lives better,” Shailen Bhatt, head of the Federal Highway Administration, said during an event at the U.S. DOT headquarters in Washington.
Widespread rollout of V2X — already used in a limited capacity in some vehicles and roadways in the United States and elsewhere — has been a goal of safety advocates for years. It requires significant funding and coordination between automakers, device-makers and public transportation agencies at every level of government, but officials and stakeholders said it is an effort well worth making to reduce the tens of thousands of roadway deaths nationwide every year.