Audi has high hopes that its Connected Vehicle to Everything (C-V2X) technology can greatly help reduce possible collisions between vehicles and cyclists.
Cellular communication is used to support C-V2X, which alerts drivers on the cockpit display to pay attention to possible safety issues. Everything from surrounding vehicles to traffic obstacles, pedestrians, and cyclists are accounted for - and can be customized to include traffic lights, school buses, crosswalks, road signs, and other features in the system.
Future software versions might be deployed so the car is able to identify - and react - to possible hazards with little to no driver interaction.
The system provides the following features, as demonstrated by Audi:
- Proximity warning/front & rear collision warning
- Cross-traffic alert
- Parallel parking departure alert
- Right turn assist
- Left turn assist
Drivers inadvertently make dangerous maneuvers such as turning right in front of a cyclist or turning left through an intersection - misjudging the speed of a cyclist leads to sometimes catastrophic results. Audi C-V2X is able to offer cross-traffic alerts and proximity warnings for the driver.
Drivers will be alerted to a possible collision with a cyclist, or if the cyclist has a suspected collision path from the other lanes of traffic.
Audi and other supporters have requested the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to approve C-V2X for use on American roads.
In 2021, traffic fatalities reached a 16-year high with more than 42,000 people dying in motor vehicle traffic incidents, according to data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Specifically, fatalities related to cyclists were also up 5% - and driver-cyclist incidents remain a problem today. There are almost 1,000 cyclist fatalities and 130,000 cyclist injuries occurring on US roads each year, but software and technology should one day help reduce both statistics.
A video demo of the Audi C-V2X system with Carscoops:
