Connected Vehicle Technology at 18th World Congress of ITS America steals the show

The 18th World Congress on Intelligent Transport Systems organised by ITS America at Orlando, Florida was a successful event. Inaugurated by Alan Taub, the Vice President of Global R &D at General Motors, Florida Governor Rick Scott and the U.S Department of Transportation’s (U.S. DOT) Research and Innovative Technology Acting Administrator Greg Winfree, the five day Congress agreed on one point unanimously – that Intelligent Transportation is the future of travel. While US Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said in an interview that intelligent transportation is the next generation for technology and safety, all assembled at the Congress agreed that ITS will be the key to improving travel efficiency and safety along with the economy.

A highlight of the Congress was the “connected vehicle technology”. Veerendra Singh Rathore, Motor Vehicle Inspector from Udaipur who attended the Congress, told TrafficInfraTech that he would be very happy if the technology entered India soon. Marvelling at the demonstration of connected vehicle technology, he said, “It was amazing to see that the moment one car applied brakes, all the nine cars behind it stopped automatically. This was possible due to the ‘connected vehicle’ technology.” The technology allows cars to communicate with the roadway and with each other. Vehicle to Vehicle communication is the way through which warning is issued before the collapse. Ford Motor Company Executive Chairman Bill Ford Jr. said at the event, “We need to view the automobile as one element of a transportation ecosystem and look for new ways to optimise the entire system. We need cars that can communicate with each other and also with the world around them to make driving safer and more efficient. The connection revolution has begun.”

Rathore said that over 250 sessions were conducted at the Congress which included executive sessions, special interest sessions, technical/scientific sessions, interactive paper sessions and IBEC sessions. Automated Enforcement System, Parking Management System, Intersection traffic light system, Electronic toll collection, Advance information system, Public bus transport system, Vehicle Navigation System, Navigation and GPS system, Automated speed catch and weighing of good vehicle were some of the topics that were discussed.