Research

D.C. MA & MN safest states, ND, WY & MT worst say UMT Study

National Mall Washington DCWhere are the most dangerous fatal roads in the country? Traffic safety has improved in the country for the past ten years, however, traffic fatality rates are still generally higher in the Northern Plains and southern states than in the Northeast, Midwest and West, according to University of Michigan researcher, Michael Sivak. There is no way of telling, yet how connected cars will affect the number in the next decade.

U-M Transportation Research Institute studied individual fatality rates per distance driven and per population in all 50 states and the District of Columbia in 2012 (the latest available year) and 2005 (a recent peak).

Traffic lights better programming and connected cars = shorter commute times and better gas mileage with V2I

trafficlightsAugust 6 is 100th anniversary of the traffic light at an intersection in Cleveland, Ohio. Today, traffic lights are controlled by sensors that include proximity sensors with some intelligent sensors using localized software. In the future, traffic lights may make driving safer, reduce commutes, save time and lower emissions.

Researchers at MIT have developed a means of computing optimal timings for city stoplights that can significantly reduce drivers’ average travel times. The software adjusts signal times at intersections distributed across the entire city, with the objective of trying to improve conditions across the entire city, while present systems are timed to local information

Virginia Tech research could prevent truck accidents like the Tracy Morgan crash in the future

tracymorganThe  type of tragic truck accident that involved Tracy Morgan and friends may be avoided in the future after research and studies by Virgina Tech.

The Virginia Tech Transportation Institute will receive $55 million to further study safety efforts for commercial truck drivers and  automated vehicles.

The contracts are awarded from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Average age of car 11.4 years and fewer scrapped yearly

2002_honda_civic_coupe_0The combined average age of all light vehicles on the road in the U.S. stayed at at 11.4 years, as of Jan. 1 2014, reported IHS Automotive. It is the oldest cars have stayed since 1995, when the data was first reported.

In 2003, there were cell phones but no iPhones or Android phones.  The older the car, the less connected it will be.  There appears to big market for head units and other connected car features for older model cars. Most people keep their cars an average of six years.

Better Ways to Electrify Connected Electric & Hybrid Cars Coming from UC Riverside, Soon

ucrUniversity of California, Riverside (UCR) is launching its Sustainable Integrated Grid Initiative to research renewable energy for batteries and electric/hybrid electric vehicles. UCR calls it the largest renewable energy project of its kind in California.

The University will celebrate Wednesday May 21 with a ceremony with viewing of an electric trolley, electric cars and an autonomous vehicle. There will be lab tours and demonstrations of solar energy, batteries and energy efficiency technologies. Student projects will showcased.

Big Growth & Big Bucks from Connected Cars in 2018

gold_ferrariIn 2018, 420 million automobiles will be connected to the tune of over $11Billion (US Dollars).

The growth rate is a 57% Compound Annual Growth Rate from the 45 million connected vehicles in 2013 reports IDATE, noting that driving the connected car ecosystem are profits and safety issues.

Connected Car and Connected iPhone(CarPlay)/Smartphone Features Most Wanted

appradio3What drivers want when they buy a car has changed greatly in just two years. The most wanted features have gone from spiffy headlights to connected car infotainment/entertainment features found on smartphones.

JD Power first asks about features without mentioning the price, then finds out what people want after the price is mentioned.

Positive Connected Car/Vehicle Feelings, Optimistic & Desired, Study Says

connectedvehichelThe University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute (UMTRI) found that people surveyed feel positive about connected vehicles, have optimistic expectations of the benefits, have some concerns, and generally desire connected-vehicle technology when it becomes available.

This newly published paper titled “A Survey of Public Opinion About Connected Vehicles in the U.S., The U.K., And Australia” is full with interesting facts and figures such as:

Intel Study Shows Americans Want Driverless Connected Car Culture

intelstudyThe “Intel Freeway to the Future” conducted by Penn Schoen Berland found that about half of Americans desire a driverless society and want cities to create infrastructures to improve quality of life for them and their community using non-personal data.

Autonomous Driverless Connected Cars = App-rehenisve Worried Public?

sadfaceAccording to a recent study commissioned by Seapine Software, 88% of U.S. adults would be worried about riding in a driverless car.

The survey, showed that 79% of U.S. adults would worry that the equipment in a driverless car will fail, such as a braking software glitch or failed warning sensor that alerts the driver of danger.