In the future, cars will be connected to the Internet. How will road lighting change?

Are you ready for the future?In the next 15 years, road infrastructure will be greatly developed and lighting technology will play an important role.

From improving drivers' awareness to ease traffic flow, connected car technology and road lighting will significantly affect the quality of traffic and the safety of drivers and pedestrians.Jay Sachetti, senior marketing manager for Eaton lighting's networking community, introduced the current and future of automotive networking, as well as the role of road lighting.

What is connected car technology?

Networked automotive technology enables networked wireless communication between vehicles, system infrastructure, and personal communications devices with high security and interoperability.Some of the most advanced anti-collision technologies in cars today include on-board sensors, cameras and radar applications.These technologies alert drivers of impending hazards so that they take corrective action, or the system can even intervene on its own.

How does it work?

Vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communications are another step to help alert drivers of danger.V2V communications use vehicle-specific short-range radio communications equipment to transmit and receive information such as the speed, direction of travel and braking state of the vehicle.Range and line-of-sight capability can exceed current systems and, in some cases, nearly double that range.Such long-distance detection and the ability to see corners or surroundings through other vehicles helps vehicles equipped with V2V communications detect certain threats earlier and alert drivers accordingly.

Connected car technology also allows cars to exchange infrastructure information (such as traffic signals or road lighting) via V2I communications (vehicle-to-infrastructure).In addition to providing security advantages for internet-connected cars, V2I communications also provide mobility.This standardization of automotive data will be used in future for truly adaptive control systems for road lighting and traffic lights.

Currently, federal and local government officials are trying to implement networking.The Michigan department of transportation (DOT) is testing the first networked workspace on an i-75 highway south of Detroit.The Michigan department of transportation (DOT) wants to alert drivers to information about whether staff are present, what type of work is being done, and when to start.The U.S. department of transportation is testing the technology in three places: New York City, Tampa and Wyoming.

How will connected lighting technology continue to change our path?

Traffic lights, road signs and even warning signs on construction sites will soon be part of the networked ecosystem, providing and receiving information to make driving easier.

The timing of all traffic lights is different.Drivers sometimes do not understand whether they can pass the yellow light before unblocking traffic, or whether the steering signal is activated.But drivers can make safer decisions when traffic lights communicate with cars.

"V2I will really play the role of sensor lighting," said Sachetti.The distance between the road lamps is generally 30 meters to 90 meters, and the installation height is generally 6 meters to 12 meters.This provides a good location for all aspects, from intersections to hilly areas, to facilitate ongoing V2I communications."

Vehicle data points, including speed, location, ambient light levels and road friction as well as such things as humidity, temperature and road reflectivity, will be fed into the electrical lighting and management system (ELMS).The ELMS will dynamically adjust or adaptively control lighting levels on the road."" these data points can ensure the safety of pedestrians and drivers, alerting drivers to red lights and even animals crossing the street," "said Sachetti.

The national highway traffic safety administration (NHTSA) expects that V2V and V2I can eliminate or mitigate the severity of more than 80 percent of non-impaired crashes, including those at intersections or on alternate lanes.Networked lighting technologies will play a major role in the future.