36 | NOVEMBER 2018
Motoring
Read online at www.proinstaller.co.uk
NO MORE RED LIGHTS?
Imagine a world where negotiating busy junctions does not require you to wait at a red light
and the only reason to stop your car is because you have arrived at your destination.
Ford is trialling a new
way in which connected
car technology could set us
on that journey – and that
takes its lead from how
humans negotiate their way
through busy crowds, by
slowing down or speeding
up to avoid collisions, with-
out coming to a standstill.
Intersection Priority
Management (IPM) – being
demonstrated this week
on the streets of Milton
Keynes, U.K., as part of the
government-funded UK Au-
todrive programme – aims
to keep drivers driving and
bring an end to unnec-
essary stops at junctions,
both easing traffic flow
and increasing safety and
efficiency.
Every year, the average
driver spends two days wait-
ing at traffic lights. And not
only can junctions be frus-
trating – they are also the
cause of up to 60 per cent
of road traffic accidents. As
well as saving time, avoiding
stopping at junctions could
also save fuel, as drivers
avoid braking and accelerat-
ing away from the lights.
IPM uses vehicle-to-vehi-
cle (V2V) communications
to coordinate with other
vehicles in the vicinity and
suggests optimum speeds
that will allow cars to safely
pass by each other at inter-
sections without coming to
a halt.
For the trial, test cars
have been equipped
with V2V communication
systems that broadcast the
vehicles’ location, direction
of travel and speed. The
onboard IPM systems are
able to identify an up-
coming junction and the
trajectory of other vehicles
approaching it. It will
then suggest an optimum
speed for each vehicle as
they approach the junction
that will allow them pass
through safely.
The vehicles in the trial
have people behind the
wheel, but it is envisaged
that autonomous vehicles
could also benefit from the
technology. Automating
how vehicles negotiate
junctions with each other
in this way that may mean
that, one day, vehicles
could pass through safely
and efficiently without the
need for traffic lights or
road signs.
CHECK TYRES ONCE A MONTH,
EVERY MONTH, SAYS GEM
ROAD SAFETY AND breakdown organisation GEM Motoring Assist is urging motorists to make
monthly checks on tyres, to ensure tread depths are sufficient and pressures are correct.
Correct tyre pressure
is not only vital for your
safety on the road, it’s also
the best way to maximise
fuel economy, according to
GEM road safety officer Neil
Worth.
“We rely on our tyres to
keep us safe on journeys.
After all, they provide the
only contact between the
car we’re driving and the
road surface. In an extreme
situation, correctly inflated
tyres with good levels of
tread will allow all the other
safety systems on a car to
work at their most effec-
tive.
“Inadequate tread or
incorrect pressure mean one
thing: the safety systems on
your vehicle will not work
as efficiently. That’s why
regular checks on tyre infla-
tion and tread depth are so
important.
“There are severe pen-
alties if you use worn or
defective tyres. Each bald or
defective tyre carries a fine
of up to £2,500 and three
penalty points.”
Under-inflated tyres
reduce your vehicle’s ability
to grip the road, and com-
promise handling. This can
result in unpredictable vehi-
cle behaviour, and increases
the risk of a tyre blowout,
where sudden rapid defla-
tion occurs.
Over-inflated tyres have
a smaller contact area with
the road, leading to in-
creased stopping distance
and reduced grip. There’s
likely to be a lot more wear
across the central part of
the tyre, leading to a shorter
lifespan.