Michigan plans large scale deployment of V2I communication

The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) in USA is working with U-M Mobility Transformation Center (MTC), a University of Michigan (U-M) consortium and the two auto majors General Motors and Ford to deploy vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) communication technology on more than 120 miles of Metro Detroit roadway. The stretch of I-96/I-696 from US-23 in Brighton east to I-94 in St. Clair Shores, which has some of the heaviest traffic volumes in the state has been chosen to become the region’s first connected vehicle corridor. Other heavily travelled highways in the region, including I-94, US-23 and I-75, are expected to be part of future technology deployment. When completed, it will be the largest deployment of connected vehicle and highway technology in the US.

MTC is a public/private research and development initiative working with five OEMs, including GM and Ford. It also includes leading automotive suppliers, intelligent transportation systems (ITS) providers, communications, data, mobility services, and insurance industries.

Some key Michigan original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) are in the early stages of planning a production rollout of vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) technologies. Establishing this corridor will help MDOT to test ways for vehicles to communicate with the infrastructure and with other vehicles to prevent vehicle crashes. Up to 9000 vehicles are expected to be equipped with V2V and V2I technologies initially in the upcoming corridor. MDOT will equip state highways with a network of sensors and cameras that can collect data to be communicated to V2V and V2I-enabled vehicles. Cameras and sensors will be located on the sides of certain state highways, including up to a half-mile off of the highway.