NEW YORK--Honda engineers will demonstrate an advanced vehicle-to-vehicle communications system that helps vehicles avoid collisions with one another as part of Honda’s participation in the 15th annual World Congress on Intelligent Transportation Systems. This will be done by showing a working prototype system on a public road in front of the Jacob Javits Center on Nov. 17-20, 2008.

Intelligent Transportation Systems are aimed at improving transportation through better safety and mobility as well as enhancing productivity through the use of a broad range of advanced information and communications technologies.

Honda’s participation in the ITS World Congress is based on the company’s focus on the research and development of advanced safety systems and the application of new information technologies to automobiles. The vehicle-to-vehicle communication demonstration, using an Acura RL sedan, is designed to showcase the potential for inter-vehicle communications as a means to reduce vehicle collisions at intersections, which today account for approximately 17 percent of fatal traffic collisions in the U.S. The demonstration will be held at two intersections along 11th Avenue, at 36th and 37th streets, directly in front of the Jacob Javits Center.

Through the use of autonomous sensors and vehicle-to-vehicle radio communication, the goal of the Honda system is to warn drivers of potential dangers at intersections in situations where the driver’s view of the oncoming vehicle is obstructed by buildings, trees, fences or large trucks. In the event of an impending collision, the system can provide audio, visual and tactile alerts to the driver.

A key enabler of the system is the Dedicated Short Range Communications (DRSC) system, which allows for inter-vehicle communications at a frequency of 5.9 gigahertz (GHz). The DSRC system allows each vehicle to broadcast a “heartbeat” signal that includes key information such as speed, acceleration and brake status, which can be detected and interpreted by other vehicles in close proximity. Designed primarily as a line-of-sight communications technology, Honda has been working to advance the capabilities of the DSRC system and allow for inter-vehicle communication even in the presence of obstacles to line-of-sight communication, such as large trucks and buildings.

The Acura RL being used in the demonstration is already a technology leader with available Collision Mitigation Braking System (CMBS), Active Cruise Control, Active Front Lighting System, and AcuraLink weather and Traffic Rerouting.

The vehicle-to-vehicle demonstration will be orchestrated by Honda R&D Americas, Inc., which represents Honda in ITS-related industry-government research programs in the U.S., including the Crash Avoidance Metric Partnership (CAMP), the Vehicle Infrastructure Integration (VII) initiative, and the Integrated Vehicle-Based Safety Systems (IVBSS) program.