A 2014
UN report
found that by 2050, the number of people living in cities is expected to
double. Urban growth has historically meant more congestion and pollution. As
a result, the cities of the future will demand smarter solutions for urban
living to deal with these problems, such as intelligent traffic management
solutions and connected vehicles.
To help develop the innovations required to bring these smart solutions to
life, last month, in partnership with the U.S. Department of Transportation, NXP announced
we would be participating in the
Smart City Challenge. As part of this challenge, we’re providing vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V)
and
vehicle-to-everything (V2X) technology
to the winning city. Finalists for the Smart City Challenge include Denver,
CO; Kansas City, MO; Columbus, OH; Pittsburgh, PA; Portland, OR; San
Francisco, CA; and Austin, TX.
V2X technology warns drivers of traffic hazards even one mile ahead,
increasing the safety for the driver, while taking people or objects into
account, essentially “seeing around corners.”
The strength of V2X comes from its ability to take control of traffic. V2X
technology helps roads become safer and eases traffic by warning drivers and
presenting alternatives when problems occur. For example, when only one lane
is open, the V2X system controls on-coming vehicles with traffic lights to
safely share the single lane. V2X will also advise drivers on optimal speed to
pass the traffic light during a green phase and the remaining time of the
green signal. With V2X, crossing vehicles are signaled to stop when
pedestrians, cyclists and other vulnerable road users are detected,
allowing them to safely cross streets.
On May 16 at the
NXP FTF Technology Forum in Austin,
NXP will present the “Smart City” experience with a live
demonstration of V2X technologies. In partnership with
Siemens
and
Electric Cab of Austin, attendees will be driven around the city to experience how NXP’s V2X
technology works in real-life traffic situations.
At NXP, we ensure all of our products are built with security in mind. As
vehicles become more connected, the communications that enable technologies
like V2X are vulnerable to attacks. As part of the V2X demo, a
“hacker” will adopt a false identity and broadcast a message to
the vehicle, appearing as an emergency vehicle. Upon receiving the message,
the vehicle will identify the message as fake and alert the driver.
In addition to the V2X demo, the NXP Smarter World Tour truck
will feature its own unique demo. Equipped with a camera on the front,
the Smarter World Truck captures live video of what’s in front of it
and transmits that feed to drivers behind it in real time. This
‘transparent truck’ demo present drivers with the ability to see
the road ahead and be aware of any safety risks.
