Enhancing Public Safety with Connected Vehicle Technology

Car crashes are the leading cause of death for those aged 1 to 54 in the United States. While driving is a necessary part of our lives, it doesn't have to be so dangerous. University of Arizona engineers plan to reduce congestion and create a safer driving experience with a new traffic signal control system.

SIE professor Larry Head has researched and developed V2X – vehicle-to-everything – communication technology for the past two decades.

V2X uses a shortwave radio signal to send data between vehicles and anything that may be affected by the cars, such as traffic signals, people, bikes and other vehicles. As part of Head’s research, he places a device called a roadside unit at each road intersection and sends traffic signal information to vehicles.

“The hot application right now is red light violations,” Head said. “The unit could tell the vehicle the driver is about to run the red light and could even stop the vehicle.”

Head has been refining his V2X technology in collaboration with the Maricopa County Department of Transportation at a facility in Anthem, Arizona: The SMARTDrive Program Test Bed.

“It's a place where we operate the traffic signals and have special kinds of vehicles, like transit vehicles, trucks and emergency vehicles.”

V2X technology offers a multitude of lifesaving applications. Not only can it prevent collisions by anticipating red light violations, but it could significantly reduce travel time for emergency vehicles. If they become stuck at traffic lights, the V2X system could provide preferential treatment and change lights accordingly – intelligently dictating traffic flow.

“Any time you improve traffic signal timing, you improve safety,” Head said.