Abstract
This report analyzes advances in auto industry safety - enhancements of car
operation with computerized radar and telecommunications devices to avoid or
reduce the risk of collisions. The topic is presented in connection with a
lager goal - to build nation-wide Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) that
eventually will create a symbiosis of a car and a road to reduce (or even
eliminate) drivers mistakes.
The topic is very important and timely for our society - every year thousands
of people are being killed in car accidents and millions are injured. Our
economy losses from traffic accidents are enormous, and the government is
trying to improve the situation by:
- Construction of new roads and timely maintenance performing
- Mandatory restrictions of speed, use of car gadgets and other
- R&D and development of ITS, which eventually release drivers from most of
the burden to make driving decisions and to be mistaken.
The economy is also suffering from road congestions and associated with such
congestions car pollutions. The report addresses the role of the ITS in
reduction harmful for our environment car pollutions.
ITS development, at the present time, mostly concentrated on a car itself;
exceptions are “intelligent” tolling, changeable road signs and
other. Symbiosis of car operation functions with enhancement supported by
radar and telecommunications technologies seems to be a very effective way to
construct a car as a part of ITS. The goal is to reduce probability of
driver' s mistakes, which are the main cause of accidents. This goal can be
achieved by putting a burden to analyze the road situation and to make
decisions based on such an analysis on a computer. Such a computer is
supported by radars for sensing the road situation and by telecommunications
devices to communicate with other vehicles, intelligent road and law
enforcement/emergency personnel.
The report analyzes technologies and markets for CDPS - Collision Detection
Prevention Systems. They include RCDPS - Radar CDPS and CCDPS -
Communications CDPS. Devices, which belong to different classes, can work
either independently, or together, supporting each other.
This report shows that both classes of the devices were adopted from other
industries, namely radar and telecommunications. This adoption requires
significant adjustments; and a design of the systems specific for car
collision prevention application.
Major specifics of RCDPS:
- Required distance of observation. It is usually not more than 200
m, but can be as small as a couple of meters. This resulted in particular
antenna design and small output power.
- Operation. A driver is not an operator for a RCDPS device. In an
ideal case, drivers even not suppose to know how radar functions and what the
car reactions on radar sensing are. Such situation is untypical for usual
radar applications, attended by skillful operators, whose only job is to
operate radar. In the RCDPS case, an automatic computerized driver-device
interface is required, which is a challenge for designers.
- Jamming condition. In the RCDPS case, any obstacle visible by an
antenna pattern can be a source of jamming.
- Size. The RCDPS devices have to be contained in very confined
spaces inside of the car. This put limitations on their size.
- Regulatory. Specific frequency bands are allocated to the RCDPS
devices. Another issue is allowed RF interference: modern cars are full of
electronics, and each new device is a potential source of interference.
Standardization in this area is required, which should take into consideration
car environment.
The CCDPS devices have fewer specifics, though they have to be also designed
for each task - as a rule, they cannot be taken from other applications and
put in a car. Examples of CCDPS include a GPS receiver, communications between
cars close proximity to create a “collective” car to take
intelligent decisions to accelerate or to break; another example is
“non-stop” tolling.
The report also analyzes the evolving 5.9 GHz DSRC technology as an example of
the ITS development.
The report analyzes the CDPS market and provides a market forecast for
2009-2013. The analysis is based on the author' s model of the market and the
use of publicly available information as well as interviews with vendors.
Altogether, the authors goal was to provide a comprehensive picture for the
CDPS technologies and market, and present their benefit and limitations. The
analyzed systems are becoming a part of ITS, which function and protocols are
also analyzed in this report.
The report is the second updated issue of a 2007 report.
Methodology
Considerable research was done using the Internet. Information from various
Web sites was studied and analyzed; evaluation of publicly available marketing
and technical publications was conducted. Telephone conversations and
interviews were held with industry analysts, technical experts and executives.
The overriding objective throughout the work has been to provide valid and
relevant information. This has led to a continual review and update of the
information content.
Intended Audience
This report is a must for technical and marketing staff that works on traffic
safety issues, car design, radar development and communications. It systemizes
CDPS techniques, provides a comprehensive understanding of their importance,
combination of technical-marketing-regulatory issues and serves the purpose to
emphasize the importance of applying technical advances to CDPS.
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