A FORD car could be equipped with a smartphone-based driver alert system that can alert drivers of bicycles, pedestrians, and other difficult-to-spot individuals.
Ford is exploring with Commsignia, PSS, Ohio State University, T-Mobile, and Tome Software an affordable and scalable smartphone-based communications technology that could one day help warn drivers of pedestrians, cyclists, and more, even those hidden from view direct view.
Concept smartphone app for pedestrians and others can
communicate potential risks to Ford-connected vehicles with SYNC® providing
vehicle-screen alerts, complementing other technologies such as Advanced
Assistance Systems Ford Co-Pilot360 driving*
Ford and T-Mobile will also demonstrate the same connected
Ford app using T-Mobile's 5G advanced networking solution combined with
large-scale computing in Los Angeles for even more reliable communications.
The technologies are being showcased at the Intelligent
Transportation Society of America (ITSA) World Congress in Los Angeles this
week
DEARBORN, MICH., Sept. 19 – Ford Motor Company is
investigating new smartphone-based communications technology that could
potentially help warn drivers of pedestrians, cyclists, and more – even those
approaching the path of a vehicle but are blocked from the driver's view.
A connected Ford vehicle receives a pedestrian's location
from the concept smartphone app using Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE). If the
vehicle calculates a potential crash risk, Ford SYNC® can alert drivers through
the vehicle's screen by displaying graphics of pedestrians, cyclists, or more
with audible alerts. At this week's Intelligent Transportation Society of
America World Congress held in Los Angeles, Ford, Commsignia, PSS, Ohio State
University, T-Mobile and Tome Software will demonstrate the technology.
If drivers do not react in time to pedestrians, cyclists,
scooter riders, or others, Ford Co-Pilot360 can be configured to detect and
help warn them," said Jim Buczkowski, Executive Director, Research and
Advanced Engineering. "To help people drive with even more confidence on
roads increasingly shared with others, we are exploring ways to enhance vehicle
detection capability to areas that drivers are unable to see. It doesn't matter
if they're using two feet or two wheels."
Ford is a founding member of the Vulnerable Road User Safety
Consortium™ (VRUSC), a consortia program of SAE Industries Technology Consortia
Programs (SAE ITC®), a subsidiary of SAE Group. The VRUSC was formed by
vehicle, bicycle, ride-sharing, and technology companies to find technological
solutions to the increase in collisions with pedestrians, cyclists and others.
Tome Software founded the Bike-to-Vehicle Advisory Board which became the new
consortium.
Data from the National Highway Transportation Safety
Administration estimates that the number of road fatalities rose 13% to 7,342
in 2021 from the previous year, while the number of cyclists killed on the road
increased by 5% – to reach 1,000 – during the same window.
“We see other possible applications for this technology,
including detecting road construction areas and construction workers,”
Buczkowski said. "Ford is innovating for the masses, so it's very
promising to start with Bluetooth Low Energy technology which is already part
of our daily lives because it's affordable and efficient."
BLE connectivity technology creates wireless personal
networks using radio waves in the 2.4 gigahertz band to communicate with other
similarly equipped devices. It is already widely available on smartphones and
is compatible with SYNC-connected vehicle technology without any hardware
modifications to the vehicle.
BLE could complement other technologies by communicating
with other similarly equipped devices with sufficient range for alerts with the
potential to advance safety through awareness of pedestrians, cyclists, and
more. BLE also does not rely on line-of-sight detection like cameras or speed
cameras, which means that pedestrians and others can be detected when hidden
behind obstacles such as buildings. This is particularly relevant for the
stress of driving in large cities on shared roads.
BLE is a technology widely used in personal electronic
devices, including smartphones, fitness trackers, location-based services,
entertainment, and more. It uses very low power with batteries as small as
pennies to run for a very long time. Consumer BLE applications typically
involve the pairing of two devices. But Ford's concept uses BLE as a beacon capable
of detecting several other similarly equipped devices within range without
pairing.
The system interprets that a person is using the device,
differentiates pedestrians from cyclists and others based on their travel
speed, and further assesses the risk based on their direction. BLE devices
quickly change communication channels - called frequency hopping - in the 2.4
GHz radio band to minimize interference.
Ford and T-Mobile study cellular solution
Ford and T-Mobile will also demonstrate Ford's application
replacing BLE communication with T-Mobile's advanced 5G network solution
combined with large-scale computing - which adds resources across a distributed
computing network as demand increases - to help create more reliable
communications. T-Mobile's 5G network helps minimize round-trip data travel
time, allowing detection alerts to be quickly delivered to the vehicle's SYNC
screen.
The driver's attention, judgment, and need to maintain
vehicle control are not replaced by the driver aid features; rather, they are
complementary to them. Pre-Collision Assist with Automatic Emergency Braking
can prevent or lessen a collision by detecting pedestrians, though not always.
It does not take the place of careful driving. The owners manual contains
information and restrictions.
Concerning Ford Motor Company
A worldwide corporation with its headquarters in Dearborn,
Michigan called Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F) is devoted to assisting in the
creation of a better world where everyone is free to travel and follow their
goals. The company's Ford+ plan for growth and value creation combines existing
strengths, new capabilities, and ongoing customer relationships to enrich
customer experiences and deepen customer loyalty Ford creates and provides
cutting-edge, desirable Lincoln trucks, SUVs, vans, utility cars, luxury
automobiles, connected services, and sport utility vehicles. Ford is also
forging ahead in the mobility space, including autonomous driving technology,
and offering financial services via Ford Motor Credit Company. Around 182,000
individuals work for Ford worldwide. Visit corporate.ford.com for more details
on the organization, its products, and Ford Credit.
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