The US Department of Transport (USDOT) has selected technology from Australian company Cohda Wireless for its largest real-life test of cars talking to cars to improve road safety.

Last month, USDOT Secretary the Honorable Ray LaHood announced, in a joint press conference with the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute (UMTRI), that the Safety Pilot Model Deployment of 2880 cars is underway. This deployment, the largest real-life test of cars talking to cars, uses the latest wireless technology for safe and secure connectivity.

After extensive testing, Cohda Wireless, a global player in providing complete connectivity solutions, was selected by the USDOT to provide a wide range of devices for this pilot.

The USDOT website describes connected car technology - or V2V (Vehicle-to-Vehicle) communications: “Eventually, each vehicle on the roadway... will be able to communicate with other vehicles and that this rich set of data and communications will support a new generation of active safety applications and safety systems. V2V communications will enable active safety systems that can assist drivers in preventing 76 percent of the crashes on the roadway, thereby reducing fatalities and injuries that occur each year.”

These applications proposed by the USDOT could potentially saves lives - Emergency Brake Light Warning, Forward Collision Warning, Intersection Movement Assist, Blind Spot and Lane Change Warning, Do not pass Warning, Control Loss Warning, all enabled by Cohda technology.

Car-to-Car Wireless, a Promising Technology

A team of skillful researchers from Australia founded Cohda Wireless in 2004, with a commitment to pioneering wireless solutions for automotive safety applications.

Cohda CEO Paul Gray said the company had approached connectivity with automotive safety in mind from day one. “The automotive market needs a complete, tested, and superior solution to the challenging problem of cars talking to car,” he said.

“Governments, OEMs and suppliers selected our radio to participate in major field tests of V2V. Around the globe covering over 17,000 km. in the USA, Australia, Germany, France and Korea, trials were completed for as many as 15 different applications."

Safety Pilot Senior Program Manager Debra Bezzina, who leads the impressive team for UMTRI said the Safety Pilot Model Deployment was an exciting and challenging project that would deploy 2800 vehicles with DSRC technology into a real-world driving environment. “Cohda is a key partner with proven technology,” she said. “They bring a valuable global perspective that enhances the team.”

The Cohda technology and products are based on a WiFi-like standard, called Dedicated Short Range Communications (DSRC) and are recognized by its international standard as IEEE 802.11p. Cohda’s unique patented technology specifically addresses the most challenging problem of V2V. The Cohda network software implements the IEEE 1609 “network stack” and SAE 2735 “message library” familiar to automotive engineers.

Cohda CTO Paul Alexander said the company’s technology made WiFi work for the moving car. “Our patented technology enhances radio reception; the car can see around corners when needed,” he said.

:The Cohda radio and supporting software uses GPS and a wireless broadcasting standard similar to Wi-Fi, called DSRC. Our MK2 radio and network software provide a complete solution for OEMs and their suppliers.

“We have also joined with Cisco Systems to develop roadside broadcasting units. Today, we can provide an end-to-end complete solution, being able to communicate from a Cohda MK2 radio built-in to the car to a roadside radio built with Cisco Systems. We provide application support world-wide that we plan to grow to support our customers around the globe”

MK2 Radio Complete Radio Solution

Automotive commercialisation is underway at Cohda to develop affordable and available chipsets. The company believes that in 2015 every car will begin to have this game- changing technology.

Cohda closely works with NXP Semiconductor to engage customers to realize this safety feature in all vehicles, both for OEM and after- markets. NXP is a leading global automotive semiconductor company that provides a variety of technologies for connecting the car to the outside world, supporting applications such as V2V communication, broadcast reception, location-based services, remote car management, or vehicle personalization.

For more information, contact:

Cohda HQ, Adelaide Australia

Paul Gray, CEO
Suite 5, 83 Fullarton Road,
Kent Town ?South Australia 5067?
Phone: +61 8 8364 4719 Fax: +61 8 8364 4597

North American Contact:

Dave McNamara,
MTS LLC, Saline, Michigan 48176
Phone: 734 645 1598?
Fax: 735 429 7826

About Cohda

Cohda Wireless is an equipment vendor in the Cooperative Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) market. The company manufactures hardware products with acknowledged best-in-world performance and has developed complete software solutions (from network layer to applications layer) for this market. Cohda’s hardware and software products are being used in Car-to-Car field trials worldwide today. Our customers include a large number of Car Makers, Tier One Suppliers, Automotive Chip Makers, Road Authorities, as well as New Market Entrants. Cohda’s products are already in use in the USA, Europe, Australia, Japan, and Korea.

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