The Cadillac CTS is one of the first vehicles to be equipped with a Vehicle-to-Vehicle (V2V) communication system and now the company is exploring the use Vehicle-to-Infrastructure (V2I) technology.
During a recent test in Michigan, several CTS prototypes were able to successfully communicate with a traffic signal near the Warren Tech Center.
The real-time information was sent using the Dedicated Short-Range Communications (DSRC) protocol and alerted drivers about the potential of getting a red light based on the car’s current speed. Cadillac says this helps to eliminate last second decisions where drivers are forced to decide between slamming on the brakes or accelerating through an intersection.
Cadillac says the vehicles do not transmit identifying information – such as VIN numbers – so the system can record whether a car ran a red light but it wouldn’t identify the model or its owner.
Cadillac isn’t alone is exploring V2I technology as several Audi models also use the technology to communicate with traffic lights. However, Audi’s system relies on a LTE data connection so owners have to pay to use the service.
The U.S. Department of Transportation calls V2I technology a “critical component of a connected vehicle environment” and former Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx has said the technology “will make our roads safer and save lives.”
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