A new technology called Intellidrive can alert drivers to potential accidents in their path.
No doubt about it, driving can be dangerous: In 2009, more than 33,000 people lost their lives in motor vehicle collisions.
But new technology could dramatically cut this sad statistic. In the next six or seven years, new cars will come equipped with a system called Intellidrive. Intellidrive, which was developed by a group of major car manufacturers with support from the federal government, uses cars’ GPS and wireless signals to “talk” to each other. Your car can track its own speed and direction, and can determine the speed and direction of nearby cars as well. Intellidrive uses this radar system to determine when you’re in danger of crashing into a nearby car, pedestrian, or cyclist, and issues a verbal warning when you’re getting close to trouble.
The new technology could also allow cars to “talk” to road infrastructure to alert drivers to problems with highways or roads. It might also warn you when you’re coming up on an area with unexpected heavy traffic. Most likely, it won’t buy you lunch at the drive-through—but in all other respects, the new technology seems like the perfect companion for the carpool lane.
Learn more about this life-saving program at the government site, and check out a video discussing Intellidrive on the TODAY Show below.