Cars that talk to one another about to hit the road, now they need drivers
by Stuart LaytAn experiment in which cars communicate with one another is about to hit the road in Ipswich, but researchers need people to drive the project – literally.
The Ipswich Connected Vehicle Pilot will use 500 drivers to test the safety benefits of fitting cars with a system that allows them to talk to one another and receive real-time information on road conditions.
Miranda Blogg, director of the Co-operative and Automated Vehicle Initiative in the state’s Transport and Main Roads Department, said the system was based on those being used in Europe.
“Connected vehicles can assess the information they get from other connected vehicles and the cloud to decide whether the information is relevant to the driver's location and driving behaviour,” Ms Blogg said.
“From that system, it could generate a warning to a driver. For example, you may be approaching a red light quickly and the system has received information from the signal system that the light is red and you need to slow down.”
The technology could also be a crucial link for self-driving cars, allowing them to be more aware of their surroundings.
“Rather than an automated car’s AI trying to guess what a human-driven car is doing, that human-driven car can broadcast to the automated car that it is turning left, turning right or decelerating very quickly,” Ms Blogg said.
For now, the research team is focusing on human drivers – and they need hundreds of them to get a large data set for analysis.
Ms Blogg said on-road trials would start next week and volunteers were needed.
“We do have some criteria you have to meet, we don’t just include everyone automatically. You do have to drive at least three hours a week, and COVID has thrown a bit of a spanner in the works there,” she said.
Volunteers also need to have comprehensive insurance and to primarily drive in the test area in and around Ipswich, the Centenary Highway and the Ipswich Motorway.
Professor Andry Rakotonirainy, director of QUT’s Centre for Accident Research and Road Safety – Queensland, said they hoped the technology would reduce the road toll.
“Our team has conducted many tests of this new technology to ensure it will not distract drivers, but through advance warning, it will assist them in adopting safer behaviour when driving,” he said.
“This new technology will help people drive safely, and potentially reduce road trauma.”
Participants' own cars will be fitted with the connected-vehicle technology – designed by researchers from QUT – and they will use it for nine months.
Volunteers will also be paid up to $500, with those wanting to sign up urged to go to the project’s website.