(iTers News) - Adelaide-based Cohda Wireless today demonstrates its world-leading “connected vehicle” technology in the Stella solar car, which won the inaugural Cruiser Class in last week’s 3000km World Solar Challenge.
The Dutch-designed four-seater Stella solar car is billed as the world’s first sun-powered family car. During the World Solar Challenge, Stella used Cohda’s technology to determine the optimal speed and number of passengers on the route to maximise the vehicle’s efficiency and take the Cruiser Class flag.
Cohda Wireless, a spinout company from the University of SA, is commercialising its world-leading “connected car” technology to let cars communicate wirelessly with each other to avoid collisions.
In an event today at Adelaide’s Victoria Park Raceway, Cohda Wireless demonstrated how Stella and another Cohda-equipped car display “360-degree” awareness to reduce risks on the road.
“Connected vehicle” devices allow cars to communicate with each other automatically, generating warning signals if they risk a collision, even where there is no line of site.
Cohda Wireless’ equipment allows cars to “talk” to each other about traffic infrastructure, exchange data including location, speed and direction. This “360-degree driver awareness” can help reduce collisions, warn of potential hazards, avoid traffic jams and ultimately increase driver safety.
Cohda’s breakthrough car safety technology is currently used in trials of thousands of vehicles in the US, Europe and Australia.
Cohda Wireless Chief Technical Officer Paul Alexander said “connected vehicle” technology was expected in production vehicles in Europe and US from 2015. “As ‘connected vehicle’ systems start to appear, industry research agrees that we will see a measurable improvement in crash reduction once the installed rate reaches 10%,” he said. “As well as auto manufacturers, we are getting considerable interest from aftermarket suppliers, who could supply a collision-avoidance device for your car in the same way as they do now with a GPS.”
Cohda Wireless is a world leader in developing connected vehicle technology. The North Adelaide company, which emerged from the University of South Australia, includes Cisco System and automotive supplier giant NXP Semiconductors among its shareholders.