Soon? Cars Communicating Via Mobile Networks

In what seems like a few short years, many of us have gone from relying on Internet mapping directions to GPS units in our cars to help us get where we're going. Soon, we may be able to get info from other cars on the road ahead of us via mobile networks.

Researchers at the Network Research Lab at the University of California at Los Angeles are working on a mobile network that will help drivers exchange travel information as well as fun downloads—music, videos—all while giving emergency vehicles a reliable channel in case of a natural disaster destroys communication towers.

The system uses an on-board vehicle computer, GPS, sensors, existing wireless channels, and software written by the team of UCLA researchers.

The team's software finds its own car and the cars it wants to talk to—how is not clear from this Australian Broadcasting Company article. But it selects the strongest wireless signals and determines which drivers should have priority (emergency vehicles) before organizing the info it is delivering.

The plan is for vehicles to switch to the Dedicated Short Range Communications standard being developed by the U.S. Department of Transportation. GPS units already transmit real-time traffic tie-ups, but this system would allow for drivers to get a human read on the road ahead. Oh, and some good tunes, too.

LINK: Hello, from the car in front [ABC]