Enhancing roadway safety through V2X technology

A case for informational safety

By Gopi C. Surnilla
Business Development Consultant
Valtech Detroit

 The evolution of vehicle safety technology has a long history, initially focused on occupant protection during accidents through mechanisms like seatbelts and airbags. These foundational solutions have proven effective but are designed for scenarios where accidents cannot be avoided. As technology progressed, innovations such as cameras and radar systems introduced “crash avoidance” measures, categorized under “active safety.” This includes systems like Automated Emergency Braking (AEB) and Lane Keep Assist (LKA), which help prevent collisions or reduce their severity. 

Despite these advancements, limitations remain—particularly regarding high-speed crashes and non-line-of-sight situations involving both vehicles and vulnerable road users (VRUs) like pedestrians and cyclists. Moreover, the advent of automated driving systems presents both challenges and opportunities in enhancing vehicle safety. Addressing these challenges is vital for the ongoing improvement of road safety. 

To tackle the non-line-of-sight challenges, the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) is implementing the National V2X Deployment Plan (Released August 2024), which provides a vision of how improved wireless connectivity can create a safer, more secure, and efficient transportation system while ensuring privacy and consumer protection. A powerful tool in this effort is vehicle-to-everything (V2X) technology, which now encompasses both direct and network communication. “Direct communication” refers to C-V2X PC5 communication and Network communication will refer to the cellular network communication (i.e. C-V2X UU communication). This expanded definition of V2X allows vehicles to communicate not only with each other but also with VRUs and roadside infrastructure through wireless messages. 

The integration of both types of communication—direct and network—enhances the effectiveness of V2X technology in promoting safety across the transportation system. Direct V2X allows vehicles to exchange structured messages in real time with minimal latency for drivers and/or vehicles to take immediate action. This capability is crucial for safety applications such as warning drivers about potential collision scenarios where the drivers, bicyclists, etc. have to take aggressive braking or swerving actions to avoid the collision. For instance, if a vehicle is speeding through a red light or stop sign, the drivers approaching the intersection may be obscured from this situation and may need to be warned to take immediate action to avoid a disastrous “T-bone” collision. With direct V2X, this information can be communicated securely and timely, directly to the nearby vehicle facilitating quick responses. 

In contrast, network V2X leverages conventional mobile networks to provide communication of traffic updates and conditions across long and short distances. This type of communication is particularly well-suited for delivering informational safety alerts that are nonemergency related and can tolerate some latency. For example, network V2X can provide real-time updates about traffic congestion, road conditions, or accidents, helping drivers make informed decisions well in advance of reaching potentially hazardous areas. Additionally, network communication can be used to provide informational alerts about potential collision situations involving vehicles, VRUs, etc. to take preemptive actions in a nonemergency manner.

While initial Direct V2X deployments have demonstrated safety benefits on a smaller scale, achieving the full potential of this technology requires widespread adoption across the transportation network. For V2X to make a significant impact, it is essential that all vehicles, VRUs, and infrastructure are equipped with compatible V2X technologies with both direct and network communication. 

Safety benefits from direct communication V2X have been hampered due to lack of broader adoption because of the investment cost, technology maturity, lack of infrastructure, etc. When only a few vehicles and other road users are equipped with C-V2X technology, the likelihood of connected vehicles interacting in a collision scenario remains low, resulting in minimal benefit in the near to medium term. This situation emphasizes the need for a robust and coordinated strategy to accelerate the deployment of V2X systems leveraging the market-ready network V2X technology while building out the direct communication capabilities.

An important aspect of safety with V2X technology is “informational safety,” which focuses on enhancing situational awareness for drivers through timely alerts and information. These alerts can help raise awareness of potentially risky scenarios, allowing drivers to respond proactively rather than reactively. For instance, services like WAZE provide real-time alerts about road conditions or accidents, which can aid drivers in making informed decisions. 

Leveraging network communication can significantly enhance the provision of informational safety. The network technology and the devices equipped with this technology are already widely deployed in vehicles, infrastructure, and personal devices, facilitating easier adoption and scaling of informational safety solutions across the transportation system. The direct communication technology can evolve over a period and contribute to the active safety as its adoption increases steadily. 

To get a head start through informational safety, a concerted effort must be made to promote the use of network communication V2X as a vital element in a connected ecosystem. While informational safety may represent the final frontier of active safety solutions, it should not be the last to be implemented. The focus must remain on utilizing readily available communication technologies to foster broad adoption of informational safety measures and ultimately enhance roadway safety for all users.  However, to deliver safety comprehensively, let us ensure we develop a smooth interoperable ecosystem between direct and network communication.