Connected vehicle testing begins at MIS

Sharon

Sharon Gill

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31st August 2009

The Michigan Dept of Transportation (MDOT) and the Centre for Automotive Research (CAR) selected MIS out of more than twenty sites for use as a test facility for connected vehicle technology.

Last week, TEAMLINC^TM, a product of Ohio-based Western DataCom and the US Army Tank Automotive Research Development Centre (TARDEC), demonstrated connected vehicle capabilities with their secure Mobile Ad Hoc Networking (MANET) technologies for the US Army National Automotive Centre.

The live demonstration showed users in military and passenger vehicles how to wirelessly communicate with voice, video and data whilst mobile or parked.

The purpose of the demonstration was to test MANET applications for future integration into military and first responder emergency vehicles.

The technology would enable EMS, fire and police responders to communicate with each other via VoIP, which currently does not exist with the current system.

The use of MIS as a private road test facility is one of the final pieces that puts Michigan at the forefront of this industry-defining technology. Already home to more than 80% of the automotive R&D in the US, a united effort between MIS, MDOT, Centre for Automotive Research, and others are underway to make Michigan the centre for connected vehicle technology, development and testing.

MIS has two 1.9 mile road courses as well as a two mile oval that can be used for testing, and a number of features that are essential for connected vehicle tests, such as various road surfaces, terrains, elevations and barriers.

The site provides a neutral, private, closed environment near the heart of the automotive R&D industry.