Skip to main content

Honda links cars, pedestrians, and motorcycles with V2V tech

2014 Honda Accord sedan front motion

Vehicle-to-Vehicle Communication technology, or V2V, is already giving new meaning to the word “connectivity.” V2V allows cars to sense each other and warns drivers of potential crashes, but Honda is taking things one step further.

In addition to V2V, the Japanese company is testing Vehicle-to-Pedestrian (V2P) and Vehicle-to-Motorcycle (V2M) tech.

These two new permutations of V2V work on the same principle: Dedicated Short Range Communication (DSRC) signals are sent back and forth between objects, showing where they are in relation to each other.

In the case of V2P, signals are sent between a car and a person’s smartphone. The system provides visual and auditory warnings to both the pedestrian and the driver; Honda says this could help reduce vehicle-pedestrian collisions.

To link a phone with a car, Honda uses the phone’s GPS and motion sensor to determine the user’s position. DSRC’s 5.9 GHz band is similar to WiFi, so phones and V2V-equipped cars can communicate relatively easily. Warnings appear on a pedestrian’s phone screen through an app, and on a car’s dashboard through added V2V equipment. Eventually, that tech will likely become another part of a car’s infotainment system.

It could be the perfect tech for a world where people seem to prefer looking at their phones to watching where they are going.

Honda is also adapting V2V to motorcycles as “V2M.” Honda says V2M will help make motorcycles more visible on the road by warning drivers of their presence even when the bikes are obscured in blind spots.

V2V is already getting a major real-life workout in the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Safety Pilot Model Deployment program, which is testing the technology on roads around Ann Arbor, Michigan. Honda is partnering with the DOT on the program.

Eight Honda vehicles are part of the test, along with a handful of motorcycles.

What do you think of V2V and its related systems? Would you want V2V in your vehicle or on your phone?

Editors' Recommendations

Stephen Edelstein
Stephen is a freelance automotive journalist covering all things cars. He likes anything with four wheels, from classic cars…
C-V2X system helps cars navigate intersections, even without a line of sight
ford panasonic v2x car communication c feat

Qualcomm aims to accelerate commercial deployment of car communication by hosting a live demo of the technology in Las Vegas at CES 2019 this year.

V2X stands for vehicle-to-everything; it's a form of short-range communication that can be sent and received by both cars and infrastructure. Put a "C" in front of the acronym for "cellular" and you've got the latest communication platform. The demonstrations will feature both Audi and Ford vehicles, as well as a Ducati Multistrada 1260 motorcycle, all of which are equipped with C-V2X technology using Qualcomm's 9150 C-V2X chipset.

Read more
The motorcycle Arnold stole in ‘Terminator 2’ sold for nearly $500K
Badass Sci-Fi Motorcycles Stolen 1990 H-D Fatboy in Terminator 2

Terminator 2: All Bike Scenes l 4K Remastered 2017 / 3D

When Terminator 2 was released in 1991, it ushered in a new generation of computer-generated imagery, blending live action with virtual graphics. The terrifying liquid-metal T-1000's (Robert Patrick) depiction is still impressive by today's standards. One of the most memorable scenes in T2, however, involved a freshly-arrived nude T-800 (Arnold Schwarzenegger) beating down bar patrons on its way to secure a motorcycle. And that very bike -- a Harley-Davidson Fat Boy -- went up for auction earlier this month.

Read more
Ford, bike makers unveil bike-to-vehicle (B2V) interactive road safety A.I.
Bike to Vehicle (B2V) AI

Ford has joined Trek, Shimano, Specialized, and eight other bike-industry giants to develop A.I. for bike-to-vehicle (B2V) communications, with the goal of improved safety. Cars, bikes, trucks, bike lanes, and roadway infrastructure would connect using the cross-industry B2V standard.

Ford, Trek, and software company Tome started working on the B2V concept almost a year ago. Ten major bike-industry companies joined the three originators to form an executive advisory board. The connectivity technology goal is greater roadway safety for all, including bikes, pedestrians, and vehicles.

Read more