DOT releases key vehicle-to-everything technology Plan

What is V2X?

V2X, or vehicle-to everything, technology allows individual vehicles to communicate with the compatible technologies surrounding them. This includes:

• Vehicle to vehicle: Vehicles will be able to “talk” with other cars around them to reduce crash risks.
• Vehicle to infrastructure: Vehicles can share and receive information from streetlights, signs, tolls, etc., to make roadblocks like construction, traffic jams, or weather issues clearer.
• Vehicle to pedestrian: Vehicles can communicate with people walking or riding bikes to be aware of crosswalk dangers, merge areas, etc.

The goal of V2X technology is to offer real-time traffic information so drivers can safely adapt to road conditions, react to road signs and other vehicles, and ultimately reduce roadway deaths to zero. These technologies are similar to, but go far beyond, current GPS and Bluetooth technology that alerts drivers to different road conditions like slowdowns and speed limits.

The DOT’s plan

The August 16 announcement of the DOT’s V2X Plan helps move the U.S. toward the nation-wide use of this new technology. Included in the Plan is important stakeholder information to help move the initiative forward in terms of the investment and research needed to get V2X available for public use.

The DOT has experimented with V2X technology and found safety benefits on a small scale, but this large-scale deployment will help reveal its full potential. For V2X to work, the DOT states that roadside tech will need to communicate everywhere in an efficient and secure way that protects personal information while still making automatic communication possible.

The Plan includes short-term, medium-term, and long-term goals through 2036 with specific actions targeted at the following groups:

• Stakeholders,
• Government agencies at all levels,
• Public agencies, and
• The private sector.

Find more information on the Plan at https://ops.fhwa.dot.gov/program_areas/ops-cavet.htm.