Vehicles that communicate directly with each other are no longer just for cute Disney cartoons, they are coming to Qatar.
Connected vehicle technology is set to start testing in the emirate next year, with 30 to 50 equipped vehicles and 20 to 30 roadside units communicating with each other about traffic congestion, accidents and other driving related issues.
"This information could then be used to alert drivers about potential dangers (even if they can’t see them) and guide them to take actions to avoid accidents," Dr. Adnan Abu Dayya, CEO of Qatar Mobility Innovations Center, told Doha News . "Many accidents at intersections could be avoided when connected vehicle technology is widely used."
The initial phase of the project – QatarV2X – will likely be launched as GM and Toyota roll out similar services in 2017. According to a report cited by Abu Dayya from the United States Department of Transportation, the technology could potentially address up to 80 percent of road accidents.
Using WiFi-like signals, V2X connects vehicles within a 1,000 meter range. Abu Dayya told Doha News that the technology can process data so that only relevant information is utilized.
The main components of the technology include: an in-car unit that may be pre-installed or can be added after purchase, roadside units located in strategic locations and an application managed from a central location. But the technologies success still relies on how drivers react to alerts, which may come through dashboard visuals or audio voice alerts.
Dayya also said that the technology is a step toward making driverless vehicles a reality within the next five to 10 years. A similar goal has been pushed in the United Arab Emirates, aiming to shift towards a driverless transportation system.
In April, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, ruler of Dubai and vice president of the UAE, announced Dubai’s ambitious plan to implement driverless vehicles. At the time, he said that by 2030, 25 percent of trips in the emirate would be driverless.
Additionally, in July, Careem, the regional app-based car booking service, announced that it had partnered with NEXT Future Transportation to bring battery-powered, self driving pods to the Middle East and North Africa region.