Connected vehicles are vehicles that use any number of different communication technologies to communicate with the driver, other cars on the road (vehicle-to-vehicle [V2V]), roadside to infrastructure (vehicle-to-infrastructure [V2I]), and the “Cloud” [V2C].

Connected vehicles are part of the Internet of Things (IoT) concept that many cities and municipalities are beginning to adopt to tackle some of the biggest challenges in the surface transportation industry. For instance, safety, mobility, and environment.

Safety

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), there were 5.4 million crashes and 2.24 million injuries in 2010. The number of fatalities from vehicle crashes is falling but still accounted for 32,885 deaths in 2010. Connected vehicle technologies will give all drivers the tools they need to anticipate potential crashes and significantly reduce the number of lives lost each year.

Mobility

According to the Texas Transportation Institute, U.S. highway users wasted 4.8 billion hours stuck in traffic in 2010—nearly one full work week (or vacation week) for every traveler. Connected vehicle mobility applications will enable system users and system operators to make smart choices that reduce travel delay.

Environment

According to the Texas Transportation Institute, the total amount of wasted fuel topped 1.9 billion gallons in 2010. Connected vehicle environmental applications will give motorists the real time information they need to make “green” transportation choices. Connected vehicles feature safety warnings that alert drivers of potentially dangerous conditions — impending collisions, icy roads and dangerous curves — before the driver is aware of them. Connected vehicles have the potential to transform the way Americans travel through the creation of a safe, interoperable wireless communications network—a system that includes cars, buses, trucks, trains, traffic signals, cell phones, and other devices. In the past, the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) has focused on helping people survive crashes. Connected vehicle technology will change that paradigm by giving people the tools to avoid crashes.

We strive to align ourselves with the leading traffic equipment manufacturers in the industry. We are continually searching for the newest technology available to improve traffic management. The goal is to share these innovations with you so that we can provide the public with the safest and most efficient roadways.