India has most road accident deaths in the world. Can 'talking cars' curb these?, Pg12

Key Highlights:

• The Union government plans to launch a Vehicle-to-Vehicle (V2V) safety system to reduce road accident deaths and traffic.
• The Department of Telecommunications has dedicated the 30 GHz radio frequency for developing V2V communication systems.
• India ranks first globally in road accident fatalities, surpassing China and the US.
• On-Board Units (OBUs), costing between Rs 5,000 and Rs 7,000, will be installed in vehicles to facilitate V2V communication.
• The government aims to implement the V2V system this year, starting with new vehicles.

Detailed Insights:

• V2V communication enables vehicles to share real-time data like speed, location, acceleration, and braking to prevent accidents.
• OBUs will alert drivers about potential threats such as black spots, obstacles, parked vehicles, and fog within a 300-meter range.
• The Ministry of Road Transport & Highways (MoRTH) is setting standards for V2V in collaboration with original equipment manufacturers (OEMs).
• Challenges include frequency band limitations, potential misuse of stored data, and the risk of cyber attacks on the intelligent transport infrastructure.
• Countries like the US, Germany, France, the UK, and China are implementing V2V systems, with others in early pilot stages.
• The aviation sector uses a similar system where aircraft broadcast their position, speed and altitude to nearby aircraft and ground stations.

Key Concepts Involved:

• V2V Communication: Wireless technology enabling vehicles to exchange real-time information to enhance road safety.
• On-Board Unit (OBU): Device installed in vehicles to facilitate wireless communication with nearby vehicles.
• Spectrum Allocation: Government process of assigning radio frequencies for specific uses, like V2V communication.