Vehicle-to-Vehicle (V2V) Communication Technology

What Is Vehicle-to-Vehicle or V2V Communication?

Vehicle-to-vehicle, or V2V, communication technology allows two vehicles to “talk” to, or “communicate” with, each other. It’s also known as ‘V2X.’ With the help of this technology, a vehicle can connect to other nearby vehicles and supporting infrastructure. The primary goal of developing V2V technology is to improve road safety and reduce the number of accidents.

What Does Vehicle-to-Vehicle (V2V) Communication Do?

First of all, careful research shows that most road accidents happen because the vehicle behind doesn’t clearly understand the movements of the vehicle ahead. Therefore, in critical situations, the driver of the trailing vehicle can’t perform an action that complements what the vehicle ahead is doing.

However, if the vehicle ahead can clearly communicate its movements to the following vehicle, you can avoid accidents. To achieve this goal, automotive engineers developed vehicle-to-vehicle, or V2V, communication systems.

How Does Vehicle-to-Vehicle or V2V Communication Work?

There are two important factors for any Vehicle-to-Vehicle/V2V Communication system:

1. The communicating vehicle(s)
2. The roadside infrastructure through which communication takes place

The actual communication takes place with the help of ‘Dedicated Short-Range Communications (DSRC)’ wireless communication devices. These devices have a range of approximately 1000m. DSRC devices communicate not only with other vehicles, but also with road infrastructure (roadside-mounted road signals).

Additionally, when vehicles equipped with V2V communication come within each other’s connection range, they exchange information including position, speed, and direction of travel. It also reports sudden changes in driving conditions, such as the driver’s steering movements, braking, or changing lanes.

On the other hand, when such a vehicle connects to road infrastructure, an exchange of information also takes place, such as road signals, weather conditions, and nearby traffic conditions. The received information is relayed to the driver with the help of the driver interface system installed on the dashboard. This way, the driver becomes aware of what’s happening around them and can make all driving decisions carefully. This way, accident risk is significantly reduced.

The Future of V2V Systems

Currently, the development of first-generation V2V systems continues. Their operation is limited to just warning the driver. They cannot perform any corrective action based on inputs given by the driver.

Second-generation Vehicle-to-Vehicle systems will be able to take control of a vehicle in danger and provide corrective action. Therefore, these systems will eventually merge with autonomous driving technology.

Advantages of V2V

1. Improved road safety
2. Reduced traffic congestion
3. Helps regulate vehicle flow on the road

Weaknesses of V2V

1. Hacking threat: As IT-dependent systems, they’re vulnerable to hacking or cracking attacks. In such a situation, a hacker could alter the information displayed in the vehicle. This would lead to highly undesirable consequences.
2. Additional cost: The estimated cost of installing a V2V communication system in a vehicle is high. Depending on the vehicle model and the system’s complexity, it can range from $2,000 to $20,000.
3. Additionally, the frequency band allocated for this system can’t support a large number of vehicles at the same time.

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