DeviceGuru

The U.S. DOT’s Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) division has chosen eight companies to develop prototype on-board devices capable of transmitting basic “Here I am” safety messages to other vehicles and devices using wireless vehicle-to-vehicle/infrastructure (V2x) communications. The devices will be used in an IntelliDrive safety pilot deployment of up to 3,000 vehicles

Note: Subsequent to the initial publication of this article, the US-DOT ceased using the name “Intellidrive” for its Connected Vehicle Research program

 
The devices will be used for identifying vehicle location, trajectory, and speed using the SAE J2735 basic safety message. Messages will not include any personally identifiable information, according to the agency. V2V and V2I communications will take place via 5.9GHz Dedicated Short Reach Communications (DSRC) wireless technology.


Vehicle’s V2x device emitting “Here I am” messages
(source: U.S. DOT)

According to the Department of Transportation’s (DOT’s) announcement, each selected contractor will receive a grant covering the development and production of five “Here I am” units for qualification testing. The selected contractors are: AutoTalks Ltd, Cohda Wireless, Cohda Wireless/TomTom, Denso International America, Inc., DGE Inc., Industrial Technology Research Institute, Savari, and Siemens Government Solutions.

The units must be delivered to the DOT by May 1, 2011. Contractors whose devices pass the DOT’s device qualification tests will be placed on the agency’s Qualified Product List, and will be eligible to support the upcoming IntelliDrive Safety Pilot model deployment. The pilot will involve approximately 2,500-3,000 vehicles, says the agency.

The DOT’s IntelliDrive initiative comprises a major portion of DOT’s current five-year ITS Strategic Research Plan.