VOL. 54 ISSUE 25 JUNE 27, 2017 P121
to one another or sitting
still, won't send an alert to
the rider. Only higher-risk
targets like motorcycles
overtaking cars or motor-
cycles approaching a per-
pendicular intersection at
speed will alert both driver
and rider.
Eventually, Bosch
would like to become a
leading force behind the
implementation of Vehicle-
to-Infrastructure (V2I) and
Vehicle-to-Pedestrian (V2P)
technologies, as well.
We were invited into
a minivan to witness a
moving demonstration
choreographed between
our vehicle and a Ducati
motorcycle, both equipped
with the same V2V proto-
type systems.
We were privy to Inter-
section Collision Warning
(ICW) and Motorcycle Ap-
proaching Warning (MAW)
demos. We drove our van
along the Bosch compound
when suddenly an audible
and visible warning flashed
up onto a computer screen
fixed to the van's dashboard
with a graphic of a motor-
cycle approaching in a mir-
ror. Moments later the real
motorcycle flashed by.
For the second scenario,
same thing. We approached
a blind intersection, the
opposing road hidden by
tall grass. Just before we ar-
rived to the merge the warn-
ing returned, alerting us of
the Ducati before we could
see it with our own eyes.
It's early days, of course.
And I'm not sure how we'll
keep from getting desensi-
tized to the warnings if they
ever became too frequent.
One of the leading ques-
tions faced by Bosch in-
volves how to roll out a new
technology that requires
some 80 percent of all ve-
hicles to be equipped with
it for the scheme to actually
make any real impact on
fatalities? Who will take the
first leap of faith, knowing
not many of the surrounding
vehicles will initially be ping-
ing out its own like-minded
heartbeat?
A second question also
begs to be asked.
If one day all our vehicles
transmit signals which place
them on a dynamic digital
grid, could this data not
someday be infiltrated, or
even mandated, by over-
zealous government agen-
cies, like traffic cops, who
would use the data with an
aim to enforce routine traffic
laws?
Could you imagine living
in a world where you're driv-
ing along and your mobile
phone receives the text,
"The amount of your citation
for speeding is $374?"
Forget that, even if the
roads are made safer for it.
Safe passing is one of the main
objections with the V2X system.
Eventually, your bike will even talk to pedestrians!
