Talking Cars: The Future of Auto Safety

As personal injury attorneys, we have represented many individuals who have been permanently injured in auto accidents caused by the negligence of others. Additionally, we often represent the grieving families of people who were killed during a car crashes that were not their fault.

How frequent are these types of accidents? Consider this: approximately 33,000 Americans are killed and 2.3 million Americans are injured every year in car accidents. The government is well-aware of this and, according to a televised report by CNN on February 3^rd, they are planning a major policy initiative geared at diminishing the amount of car accidents that take place on our nation’s roads, highways, etc.

The U.S. Department of Transportation is in the very early stages of preparing a mandate that would require that all cars driven on American roads, streets and highways to be equipped with what is now termed “vehicle-to-vehicle technology.” In essence, the plan is for cars to transmit information to other cars within a 300-yard radius ten times per second, providing information such as speed, direction and GPS position.

In addition to communicating with one another, cars of the not-so-distant future will speak to their drivers, too. Sure, right now the computers with which our cars are equipped can receive and acknowledge commands such as “call John” or “tell me how to get home.” Our cars can dial numbers for us via Bluetooth technology and provide step-by-step directions on how to get from point A to point B. They cannot, however, tell us if there’s an accident around the corner or a car slamming on the breaks four vehicles in front of you. All of that, however, will change.

By receiving information from other motor vehicles within a 300-yard radius, your car will be able to keep you abreast of all relevant information. For example, if traffic has come to a dead halt around the bend due to a car accident, your car will tell you to slow down so that you don’t whip around the bend and smash into a stopped car. Additionally, if you’re stuck behind an 18-wheeler and can’t see anything in front of you, your car will be able to tell you to step on the breaks if a car somewhere in front of you, that you can’t see, has slammed on its breaks. This is because the technology with which these cars will be constructed will be able to receive and transmit data around and through the large objects (such as buildings, trucks, etc.) that obstruct our view.

According to the Department of Transportation, it is expected that this program, which already has the support of Ford, Honda, Toyota, GM and Mercedes-Benz, will be able to prevent up to 80% of car crashes involving sober drivers.

Even with the enhanced motor vehicle technology of the future, car crashes will remain an unfortunate part of life. And, in the meantime, they will continue to be a constant source of grief for Americans. If you or a loved one has been injured in a car accident due to the negligence of another driver, contact us to see how we can help you obtain compensation for your losses. To schedule a free consultation, please call us at 561-266-9191 or email us at daronberg@build.simple.biz.