What is Vehicle-to-Infrastructure (V2I) Communication?

Vehicle-to-Infrastructure (V2I) communication is the wireless exchange of data between vehicles and road infrastructure.

Enabled by a system of hardware, software, and firmware, V2I communication is wireless and bi-directional: infrastructure components such as lane markings, road signs, and traffic lights can wirelessly provide information to the vehicle, and vice versa.

Why do we really need V2I?

Roadways are soon going to be the stage for a revolution. Self-driving(autonomous) vehicles, long dreamed of, are becoming a reality. The race to make a successful and safe autonomous car is on, with everyone from young tech companies to traditional auto manufacturers joining the competition.

Public attention follows companies as their autonomous vehicles go from strength to mishap and back again, but the reality is that leading automotive manufacturers around the globe will be producing driverless cars sooner than most would imagine. Autonomous taxis have been given commercial licences to operate in California.
Change is just around the corner and it is going to bring huge benefits like a reduction in traffic/road fatalities.

In order for this revolution to take place, the environment surrounding the vehicles must evolve as well.

“To get the full benefit of connected and automated vehicles, you need the infrastructure outfitted. Infrastructure can carry and share information about crashes, traffic jams, sharp corners, and with recommended speeds. You can also dynamically change recommended speed based on weather or other conditions.”

Road infrastructure will need to move from analogue to digital.

As we leave behind the days when cruise control and assisted driving were the smartest operations the car could perform, we move into new levels of automation. Vehicle systems will take on more responsibility and the role of the driver will diminish over time.

So how can we navigate the road ahead?

First and foremost, infrastructure will need to support both human and machine vision. The roadway infrastructure must move from analogue messages designed for human eyes to digital messages designed so that technology in automated cars can interpret the surrounding environment and quickly respond, creating redundancy which increases the confidence of the vehicle to make critical driving decisions.

A few emerging technologies that can be used to improve roadways, mobility and safety:

• Advanced Road Markings: Pavement markings that are visible to humans and machines in any road condition.
• Smart Signs: Directional signage that is visible to humans and machines in any road condition.
• Wireless Communication: Wireless communications that connect directly to vehicles, helping identify construction zones and potential safety hazards.

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