Michigan-based developer of connected car and automotive electronics systems Danlaw Inc. has revealed its role in New York City’s Connected Vehicle Pilot project; one of the US Department of Transportation’s (USDOT) three CV Pilot Deployment Sites.
The rapid rise of urbanization is compelling many municipalities worldwide to reevaluate transportation initiatives and seek out ways to ease congestion and improve pedestrian safety by integrating modern technology with existing infrastructure to create a city-wide ecosystem of sensors, vehicles, and people to improve mobility and safety for all road users. Danlaw is developing new connected city solutions where communication technology and sensor data converge to enable new traffic management and safety applications. The company’s technologies make it possible to implement in-vehicle warning systems, traffic signal prioritization, and other road management initiatives that create safer and more connected cities.
New York City (NYC) is one of the most recent municipalities in the USA to begin driving ‘Vision Zero’ connected city initiatives. In 2015, the NYC Department of Transportation (NYCDOT) began developing its vision for a safer and more intelligent traffic environment by establishing the Connected Vehicle Project in partnership with USDOT. The project seeks to manage vehicle speeds and reduce crash frequencies and severity by deploying V2X (vehicle-to-everything) technology, including vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) and vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) communication networks. The busy intersections and highly-populated sidewalks of NYC pose a significant challenge to maintaining safe and efficient roadways.
In order to provide drivers with critical safety information and driving advice, such as Forward Collision Warning and Left Turn Assist, the NYCDOT CV Project team chose Danlaw to supply its AutoLink Aftermarket Safety Devices (ASDs), which use Dedicated Short-Range Communications (DSRC), a secure variant of wifi technology, to reliably transmit safety messages between vehicles and roadside infrastructure. The AutoLink ASD on-board unit (OBU) was selected for the project based on its interoperability with all vehicle types and existing infrastructure, as well as the company’s ability to accelerate the project’s deployment by providing on-site technical support.
The AutoLink ASD is also uniquely capable of managing NYC’s ‘urban canyon’ environment, in which GPS accuracy is hindered by tall, densely packed buildings. AutoLink is integrated with the Cohda Wireless V2X stack and applications, including their V2X-Locate technology, to enable lane-level positioning accuracy in urban canyons where GPS alone is insufficient. AutoLink is currently installed inside participating taxis, Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) buses, NYCDOT fleet vehicles, and other NYC service vehicles. After successfully completing the NYCDOT’s Operational Readiness Demonstration and supplying an initial quantity of 4,100 AutoLink ASDs, Danlaw is poised to quickly scale-up to high volume production. The AutoLink ASD was awarded OmniAir Consortium Certification earlier this year, ensuring that it is compatible with the 8,000 vehicles and 400 roadside units (RSUs) involved in the NYC pilot.
“We look forward to the Connected Vehicle deployment in New York City, which will be a driving factor in creating a safer transportation environment,” said Mohamad Talas, director of ITS management for NYC’s CV Pilot Project. “Our participation in developing the CV model for such a complex urban environment has provided us with the opportunity to be at the forefront of this technology.”
