Ford is testing a new high tech brake light that can communicate with cars that are behind it.
Ford is testing a new high tech brake light that can communicate with cars that are behind it. Ford tests early warning car-to-car communication feature that alerts drivers to vehicles braking ahead – even around corners and through traffic. How does it work? The technology called “Electronic Brake Light” transmits a wireless signal to illuminate a dashboard light on following vehicles. According to Ford, the technology could enable drivers to brake earlier and potentially mitigate or avoid a collision.
“Car-to-car and car-to-infrastructure communications represent one of the next major advancements in vehicle safety,” said Paul Mascarenas, Ford’s chief technical officer and vice president, Ford Research and Innovation. “Ford is committed to further real-world testing here and around the world with the goal of implementation in the foreseeable future.”
The technology is one of 20 potential future systems Ford tested as part of Safe Intelligent Mobility – Testfield Germany (simTD), a four-year joint industry research project. Ford used specially-equipped Ford S-MAX models to help test the potential of car-to-car and car-to-infrastructure communication; also testing Obstacle Warning system, which alerts to the presence, position and type of potentially hazardous objects in the road, and Traffic Sign Assistant, that keeps in contact with traffic management centres for up-to-date information.
Source: Ford
