"Dizzying developments in information technology continue to touch every aspect of life. We also continue to see the great effects of this in the automotive industry, which re-created its rules. Each new car model is getting more digital and smarter. One of the main motivations for such improvements is producing more environmentally friendly and safer cars. The developments in engine and safety technologies in recent years have also been progressing in a way that confirms this argument. However, at a point where the mechanics are insufficient, improvements have to change their course to feed from the IT industry. At this very point, we come across “connected car” technology.
We can define the Connected Car technology as one that enables a car with an internet connection and WLAN network to communicate with other internet-connected components via certain protocols with the help of such connection. This technology is also referred to as the “Connected Vehicle” in a more general sense, including other vehicles.
The US Department of Transportation (DOT) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) plan to make traffic management more effective with their concept project called ITS (Intelligent Transportation System) by evaluating the instant data received from vehicles along with the peripheral components. It seems that these technologies, which are expected to become almost a necessity for every vehicle in a short period of time, will also pave the way for the rise of autonomous vehicles.
The connected vehicles technology, which is considered one of the important uses of the IoT concept, known as the Internet of Things, consists of many different types of communication. We examine these types, which vary according to the components they are in contact with, under the following categories:
V2I - Vehicle to Infrastructure
In this form of communication, vehicles are in constant communication with the peripheral components on the roads. Examples of such components include RFID readers, cameras, traffic lights, lane markers, signage, and parking meters. In the V2I communication model, the data flow is bidirectional. Such data collected from peripherals in the US can provide instant traffic information, road conditions, accident information and parking information for the ITS technology. Based on such information, parameters such as speed limits of highways and duration and frequency of change of traffic lights are aimed to be “instantly” changeable.
V2V - Vehicle to Vehicle
The Vehicle to Vehicle Connection aims to prevent traffic accidents by transmitting information such as instant location and speed of vehicles to surrounding vehicles via an ad-hoc mesh-network. Depending on the technology in the vehicles, it can warn the driver in the event of an accident, or compatible vehicles can react on their own at the time of an accident. It is estimated that the V2V technology will be more effective and efficient compared to technologies such as lane tracking, blind spot warning system, and reverse vision system, which are available in today’s vehicles.
V2C - Vehicle to Cloud
The Vehicle to Cloud Connection is important in transferring vehicle data to cloud services and processing them. Cloud services, which are the most suitable environment where the data produced by vehicles can be stored and data of this size can be processed, constitute an important pillar of the IoT technology. The data produced by vehicles are quite relevant to many industries, particularly automobile manufacturers. For example, the driving characteristics of drivers in a given area can provide a more efficient calculation of insurance premiums for vehicles in that area. Or they may evaluate this directly on an individual basis. For V2C Automobile Manufacturers, it provides critical data such as driving habits, fuel consumption and emission values. At the same time, it will be possible to update the vehicle software remotely, without going to the service facility.
V2P - Vehicle to Pedestrian
The purpose of this technology is to ensure the safety of pedestrians and minimize accidents involving pedestrians. Pedestrians and drivers are expected to be warned with a communication model that is similar to V2V. For example, pedestrians who are in danger of being crushed by standing in the blind spot of high vehicles would be able to avoid accidents without any injury thanks to this technology. The vehicle to pedestrian connection is expected to detect any collision in advance so as to take the necessary precautions.
V2X - Vehicle to Everything
The V2X model is the technology in which vehicles are in communication with all external factors that will affect them. This includes vehicles such as airplanes and trains, and warning components such as traffic lights and signage. V2X can be considered a model that covers other V2 models.
As it can also be seen from the sub-communication models, Connected Vehicles is a technology that is still in the process of having its standards established, but that can be implemented in a short period of time. We can see that the leading automotive manufacturers and suppliers in the industry have accelerated their R&D work in this respect. Automobile models, the many features of which we manage through our smartphones, are not something unfamiliar. In fact, autonomous and electric vehicles are already in traffic. However, although these models have these features on their own, they have not yet reached the desired stage. The development of ITS-like systems, in which all vehicle models can act together, will be the real key step towards Connected Vehicles.
Finally, I would like to conclude the article by listing the benefits that Connected Vehicles will add to our lives and the barriers to this technology.
Benefits
● Accident Prevention / Reduction
● Reducing the Need for Traffic Signs and Controllers
● Travel Time Estimation
● Increasing Driver Efficiency
● Increasing Energy Efficiency
● New Vehicle Ownership / Rental Models
● New Business Model Opportunity
Existing Blocking Factors
● Existence of many different communication protocols ( WAVE, DSRC, 5G, LTE-V )
● Need for Broad Bandwith (1 hour of vehicle data equals to 5 hours of 4K video data)
● Cyber Security Threats
References
https://www.its.dot.gov
https://www.its.dot.gov/factsheets/pdf/CV_V2Pcomms.pdf
https://www.businessinsider.com/internet-of-things-connected-smart-cars-2016-10
http://autocaat.org/Technologies/Automated_and_Connected_Vehicles/
https://medium.com/iotforall/7-connected-car-trends-fueling-the-future-946b05325531
https://www.elektrikport.com/haber-roportaj/ilk-akilli-yol-hollandadan/11888#ad-image-0
https://trilliumsecure.com/trillium-at-connected-car-insurance-usa-2018/
Ersin YILDIZ
Software Development Officer
CITS Bilişim Hizmetleri ve Yazılım San. Tic. A.Ş."