Talking cars to reduce accidents

BANGALORE, INDIA: A team of Italian scientists claimed that they have developed 'talking' cars, which have the software to 'communicate' with one another on the road.

According to a BBC report, a team of scientists at University of Bologna said that the talking cars wouldn't require human-like facial features to communicate with another vehicle on the road.

Similar technology had been used before but this time, said the team, cars would be able to 'know' what had happened kilometres ahead, it added. Tests suggest it could reduce motorway pile-ups by 40 per cent.

According to Prof Marco Roccetti, who leads the team of researchers, the new system is different from the conventional telematics that sees a radar-type mechanism detect an obstacle on the road in front of a car, which then brakes to avoid a crash.

The new application for the automatic detection of accidents is expected to reduce vehicular collisions thus increasing road safety. The innovation emerged during computer simulations of the safety system which were detailed in a paper published in the journal Computer Networks.

The road tests of the software will be carried out in August 2011 on the streets and motorways of Los Angeles in conjunction with car maker Toyota, said reports.