Audi and bus and truck maker Navistar have partnered in the USA to develop and demonstrate potential safety enhancing C-V2X technology in Navistar emergency vehicles and school buses, with the first deployments expected to begin this summer.
The two companies, both part of the VW Group, have partnered with specialists Applied Information and Traffic Control Corporation to research how to improve safety and driver information in school zones, school bus stops and emergency vehicle situations. While Audi and Applied Information have already demonstrated the potential uses of school zone technologies, the new partnership, in close collaboration with Navistar, will enable IC Bus school bus drivers to receive a visual and audible warning signal of a vehicle approaching a school bus stop – in a situation that the vehicle may not be able to stop. The warning is designed to enable the school bus driver to intervene and advise the passengers exiting the bus to not enter the roadway, or get on or off the bus only when it is safe to do so. The additional warning provided via C-V2X technology would also alert drivers in approaching cars that a school bus is stopped ahead.
To help improve safety for emergency vehicle operators and drivers as a whole, Audi and International Truck, a subsidiary of Navistar, as well as technology partners Applied Information and Commsignia, are also setting out to demonstrate a whole new C-V2X application. When an emergency vehicle is on call, Audi vehicles equipped with the new software will be able to receive an audible and visual warning from the direction from which an ambulance or other emergency vehicle is approaching. The directional warning is designed to help direct drivers to get out of the way sooner than in usual scenarios where the emergency vehicle is only visible when the emergency vehicle is in their direct line of sight.