U.S. Department of Transportation Plans ‘Reset’ for Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X) Technology
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Transportation is launching a new initiative to expedite the implementation of vehicle-to-everything (V2X) technology, a move that safety advocates believe could significantly reduce traffic accidents and save lives.
Safety experts have long championed the potential of V2X, which enables vehicles to communicate wirelessly. This technology allows cars and trucks to exchange crucial information regarding location, speed, and road conditions, enhancing safety even in challenging situations like poor visibility or obscured views.
“This is proven technology that works,” said Shailen Bhatt, head of the Federal Highway Administration, at a recent event.
V2X’s potential extends beyond vehicle-to-vehicle communication; it can also involve cyclists, pedestrians, and the road infrastructure itself. By providing a continuous flow of data, V2X could anticipate and prevent accidents, as well as lessen the impact of those that do occur by reducing speeds.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) Chair, Jennifer Homendy, highlighted the technology’s potential. She said V2X could potentially have prevented several crashes on the Ohio Turnpike that resulted in fatalities and injuries.
“V2X can help reverse the devastating public health crisis on our nation’s roads,” Homendy said, “and fundamentally transform our nation’s transportation landscape.”
Despite the enthusiasm from safety advocates and federal regulators, V2X deployment has faced challenges. Past regulatory uncertainty slowed its advancement. John Bozzella, president and CEO of the Alliance for Automotive Innovation, is optimistic that the new plan marks a turning point.
“This is the reset button,” Bozzella said at Friday’s announcement. “This deployment plan is a big deal. It is a crucial piece of this V2X puzzle.”
The plan sets ambitious targets: by 2028, V2X infrastructure is to be in place across 20% of the National Highway System, with 25% of the nation’s largest metropolitan areas having V2X enabled at signalized intersections. Addressing the financial aspects of infrastructure deployment and tackling cybersecurity concerns will be key to its success.
Dan Langenkamp, whose wife was killed in a traffic accident, emphasized the importance of moving forward with this technology.
“How can we as government officials, as manufacturers, and just as Americans, not push this technology forward as fast as we possibly can, knowing that we have the power to rescue ourselves from this disaster, this crisis on our roads?”
