As the automotive industry accelerates toward a connected future, the role of V2X (Vehicle-to-Everything) communication has become pivotal. V2X is a groundbreaking technology that enables vehicles to exchange data with their surroundings—whether it’s other vehicles (V2V), infrastructure like traffic lights (V2I), pedestrians (V2P), networks (V2N), or even the power grid (V2G).
The future of technology seeks to bind us together more in connectivity, and this is a vast understatement of what’s to come. From systems that prevent collisions at intersections to technologies that streamline urban traffic, V2X is reshaping how vehicles interact with the world around them.
We delve into the innovative applications of V2X, analyze its influence on the automotive landscape, consider what it means for the future of mobility, and explore how V2X connectivity is already making a tangible impact on our roads, with real-world examples that demonstrate its transformative potential.
How These Technologies Shape the Future
Complementing Autonomous Vehicles
V2X systems are laying the groundwork for autonomous driving. By enabling communication between vehicles and infrastructure, they create a cohesive driving environment where autonomous cars can make better decisions.
Smart Cities Integration and Global Safety Standards
These technologies are integral to smart cities, where vehicles, infrastructure, and even pedestrians interact seamlessly to improve mobility, safety, and sustainability.
As adoption grows, these systems will become part of global safety protocols, reducing accidents and saving lives.
Data Privacy and Cybersecurity
With the increasing reliance on connected systems, ensuring the security of data and protecting against cyberattacks is paramount. Connected vehicles, through their V2X communications, transmit sensitive data that could potentially be intercepted or misused.
While mobile users have tools like a VPN for PC, we can expect that VPNs will play a much broader role in providing an additional layer of security for drivers accessing connected services or managing their vehicle’s settings remotely. VPNs help encrypt internet traffic, safeguarding personal information from cyber threats—a critical measure as cars become extensions of our digital lives.
Audi Traffic Light Information (V2I)
Audi’s Traffic Light Information (TLI) system has positioned the company at the forefront of vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) technology. Offered through a subscription to Audi connect® PRIME, TLI provides real-time data about traffic lights. The system displays a countdown to green (Time to Green—TTG) or suggests optimal driving speeds to hit green lights (Green Light Optimized Speed Advisory—GLOSA).
This isn’t just about convenience but also about efficiency. By reducing the time spent idling at red lights and optimizing speed, TLI helps conserve fuel and reduce emissions, enhancing the driving experience but also promoting environmentally friendly driving behaviors.
Real-World Use
Currently available at over 20,500 intersections in 26 major U.S. metropolitan areas, Audi’s TLI has demonstrated measurable benefits. For example, during its initial pilot program in Ingolstadt, Germany, the system reduced time spent at traffic lights by 21% and decreased fuel consumption by 17%. Such results highlight its potential to transform urban mobility.
Beyond its current implementation, TLI is evolving. With future 5G-powered cellular vehicle-to-everything (C-V2X) technologies, TLI will offer faster communication and even broader capabilities, such as delivering warnings about construction zones or enabling vehicles to take autonomous action when sensing an impending collision. Audi has already started collaborating with the Virginia Department of Transportation, Qualcomm, and Virginia Tech to test this next-generation connectivity around construction sites.
By aggregating data from TLI-equipped vehicles, cities can optimize traffic signal timings, improve pedestrian-friendly intersections, and reduce traffic congestion.
Broader Implications
Audi’s TLI is a clear example of how V2I technology bridges today’s drivers and tomorrow’s smart cities. By integrating advanced data analytics, cellular communication, and predictive algorithms, TLI represents a scalable model for deploying connected vehicle technology. It lays the groundwork for future automation, where swarm intelligence—more vehicles on the road equipped with V2X—enhances the system’s capabilities and brings us closer to the era of fully autonomous vehicles.
Ford’s Pedestrian Alert System (V2P)
Ford’s Pedestrian Alert System is part of a larger vision to create smart vehicles that interact seamlessly with their environment. This system uses C-V2X (Cellular Vehicle-to-Everything) technology to detect pedestrians and cyclists in real time, leveraging Bluetooth signals or other wireless communication methods. It creates a virtual safety zone by alerting drivers to nearby pedestrians—even those outside the line of sight—and sends notifications to pedestrians about approaching vehicles.
Real-World Use
A notable demonstration of Ford’s V2P capabilities took place in 2018 in Wuxi, China, where Ford conducted the world’s first city-level C-V2X tests on public roads. This initiative included Vehicle-to-Infrastructure (V2I), Vehicle-to-Vehicle (V2V), and Vehicle-to-Pedestrian (V2P) features. The Wuxi project showcased how V2P technology could enhance pedestrian safety by detecting vulnerable road users and providing collision warnings in real time.
The Vulnerable Road User Collision Warning feature highlighted Ford’s efforts in detecting moving pedestrians and cyclists. In scenarios with limited visibility—such as construction zones or busy urban intersections—the system alerted drivers and helped reduce collision risks.
Pedestrian safety is a growing concern in urban areas, where traffic congestion and limited visibility often lead to accidents. Ford’s V2P technology addresses this issue by combining real-time communication with predictive algorithms to prevent collisions. As part of a broader C-V2X framework, this system enhances situational awareness for both drivers and pedestrians, bridging a critical gap in urban mobility.
Ford’s global C-V2X initiatives—including similar tests in Denver, Colorado, and Paris—align with its vision of building smart vehicles for a connected world. The insights gained from these projects lay the groundwork for future advancements, such as 5G-powered V2X communication, which will further improve safety and traffic efficiency.
Volvo Connected Safety (V2V)
Volvo’s Connected Safety system allows vehicles to share critical safety information via the internet, creating a collaborative safety network among Volvo cars equipped with the feature. This technology focuses on two primary alerts:
- Hazard Warning Flashers: If a vehicle activates its hazard warning flashers, this information is transmitted to nearby Volvo vehicles, which display a symbol on the instrument panel to warn approaching drivers.
- Slippery Driving Conditions: When a vehicle detects reduced traction—such as icy or wet roads—it sends an alert to other Volvo vehicles in the area. Approaching vehicles receive a warning in their instrument panel, with the alert increasing in prominence as the vehicle nears the hazardous area.
Connected Safety uses real-time data sharing to increase driver awareness and enhance safety by providing advance warnings of potential road hazards.
Real-World Use
Introduced in various Volvo models between 2016 and 2024, Connected Safety has demonstrated the practical benefits of vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communication. This feature relies on an internet connection to share data between cars, but even without connectivity, it can alert drivers to hazards detected by their own vehicle.
Vehicles equipped with Connected Safety include popular models such as the XC40, XC60, and S90. However, the system requires both an internet connection and the feature to be activated for full functionality, and it is not yet available in all markets.
Connected Safety exemplifies how V2V technology can create a safer driving environment by enabling vehicles to “speak” to one another. By alerting drivers to hazards before they encounter them, the system reduces the likelihood of accidents caused by limited visibility or unexpected road conditions. The ability to share real-time safety data enhances not only individual driver awareness but also collective traffic safety.
Limitations
While highly innovative, Connected Safety has its constraints in that it requires an active internet connection for inter-vehicle communication. Vehicles also must have the feature enabled and activated for it to function.
Lastly, conditions such as poor GPS signals or minor roads not included in Volvo’s database, may prevent alerts.
Toyota’s Cooperative Adaptive Cruise Control (V2V)
Toyota has been a pioneer in Vehicle-to-Vehicle (V2V) communication, introducing Cooperative Adaptive Cruise Control as part of its advanced safety systems in 2014, incorporating V2V communication to enable vehicles to share acceleration, deceleration, and speed data. This enhances the ability of vehicles to maintain safe following distances on highways, ensuring smoother traffic flow and improved safety.
In addition to V2V communication, Toyota integrates Vehicle-to-Infrastructure (V2I) capabilities to address common road safety challenges. For instance, sensors placed at intersections with poor visibility can detect oncoming vehicles and pedestrians, sending alerts to Toyota vehicles via road-to-vehicle communication.
Real-World Use
The technology was first offered in 2015 as part of Toyota’s “Safety Sense P” active safety package on select models sold in Japan. Applications include:
- Right-Turn Collision Caution: Provides alerts about oncoming vehicles or pedestrians at intersections.
- Communicating Radar Cruise Control: Enables vehicles to share speed and braking data to maintain safe distances, reducing the risk of rear-end collisions and improving fuel efficiency.
Toyota’s Cooperative Adaptive Cruise Control represents a significant advancement in highway safety and efficiency. By reducing sudden braking and accelerating patterns, the system minimizes traffic congestion and enables smoother, more fuel-efficient driving. Additionally, the integration of V2I technologies, such as alerts for intersections with poor visibility, highlights Toyota’s holistic approach to creating safer roads.
Other Integrations
ITS Spot Services are an integral part of Japan’s Intelligent Transport System (ITS), designed to enhance road safety, alleviate congestion, and provide real-time traffic information through high-speed, high-volume road-to-vehicle communications. As of August 2011, approximately 1,600 ITS spots have been installed nationwide, primarily on expressways, with installations every 10 to 15 kilometers on intercity expressways and every 4 kilometers on urban expressways.
These services offer three core functionalities:
- Wide-Range Road Traffic Information: By transmitting real-time traffic data, car navigation systems can analyze extensive expressway networks, including those crossing prefectural boundaries, to select the fastest routes based on current conditions.
- Safe Driving Support: ITS spots regularly provide information on traffic safety issues specific to certain roads and offer emergency information to support safe driving practices.
- Electronic Toll Collection (ETC): Utilizing the same technology as ETC, ITS Spot Services enable seamless toll payments, contributing to smoother traffic flow and reduced congestion.
The implementation of ITS Spot Services has led to significant improvements in traffic management. For instance, the provision of congestion information has resulted in a 60% reduction in accidents in certain high-accident areas.
Overall, ITS Spot Services represent a comprehensive approach to integrating technology with transportation infrastructure, aiming to create a safer, more efficient, and environmentally friendly driving experience across Japan.
