GM Developing Wireless Pedestrian Detection Technology

• Wi-Fi Direct connectivity in vehicles could help increase driver awareness
• Efforts build on GM’s Vehicle-to-Vehicle and Vehicle-to-Infrastructure technology                
  
  
  General Motors researchers are developing a promising driver assistance feature potentially capable of detecting pedestrians and bicyclists on congested streets or in poor visibility conditions before the driver notices them.
  The feature relies on Wi-Fi Direct, the Peer-to-Peer (P2P) wireless standard that allows devices like some smartphones to communicate directly with each other rather than through a shared access point like a cell phone tower.
  GM researchers have determined Wi-Fi Direct can be integrated with other sensor based object detection and driver alert systems already available on production vehicles to help detect pedestrians and bicyclists carrying smartphones equipped with Wi-Fi Direct.
  The automaker also is looking to develop a complementary app for Wi-Fi Direct capable smartphones that can be downloaded by frequent road users such as “bike messenger” or “construction worker” that will help Wi-Fi Direct equipped vehicles identify them.
  Wireless pedestrian detection is part of GM’s ongoing development of Vehicle-to-Infrastructure (V2I) and Vehicle-to-Vehicle (V2V) communication systems that could provide advance warning about hazards such as slowed or stalled vehicles, slippery roads or intersections and stop signs.
  
  “This new wireless capability could warn drivers about pedestrians who might be stepping into the roadway from behind a parked vehicle, or bicyclists who are riding in the car’s blind spot,” said Nady Boules, GM Global R&D director of the Electrical and Control Systems Research Lab. “Wi-Fi Direct has the potential to become an integral part of the comprehensive driver assistance systems we offer on many of our Chevrolet, Cadillac, Buick, GMC, Opel and Vauxhall vehicles.”
  By eliminating the intermediate step required to reach a cell phone tower, Wi-Fi Direct allows devices to connect in approximately one second compared to conventional wireless systems that typically need seven or eight seconds to acquire location information and connect.
  “Wi-Fi Direct’s fast connections offer a distinct advantage in vehicle applications,” said Donald Grimm, GM Global R&D senior researcher of perception and vehicle control systems. “The quicker a vehicle can detect other Wi-Fi Direct users, the greater the potential for collision avoidance.”
  According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 4,280 pedestrians and 618 bicyclists lost their lives in collisions with motor vehicles in 2010. Both totals were down by as much as 25 percent since 1995, consistent with overall traffic fatalities. GM’s potential use of Wi-Fi Direct is one way the automaker is working to help further reduce the number of traffic fatalities.
  The Wi-Fi Alliance, the global industry association in charge of certifying wireless standards, claims Wi-Fi Direct devices can reach each other at a maximum distance of 656 feet or more than two football fields away. In addition to aiding pedestrian detection, this range could enable secure transfers of files such as MP3s or digital address book information between a home computer and the user’s Wi-Fi Direct equipped vehicle infotainment or navigation system.
  “As we move toward becoming a more connected society, having a self aware connected car will be increasingly important,” said Thilo Koslowski, vice president of automotive industry analysis at Gartner Inc., a leading information technology research and advisory company. “Not only can Wi-Fi Direct help vehicles seamlessly communicate with other consumer devices, it can also augment Vehicle-to-Infrastructure communications as well, which could lead to better traffic management and fewer accidents.”
  
  

Opel brings Telemetry to its new Astra J OPC

• Opel is first car manufacturer to make preselected vehicle data available
• Unique OPC Power App has debut in new Astra OPC (206 kW/280 hp)
• Numerous applications: from engine boost pressure to lap time for tech savvy OPC fan

Opel shares its passion for technology with its customers by becoming the first ever car manufacturer to make preselected data from the CAN bus (Controller Area Network) directly available on an iPhone where it can be displayed or analyzed further. The CAN bus is the central system that unifies and connects all the electronic control units in the vehicle.  

Apple smartphone users can now download the OPC PowerApp an application or App from the AppStore for just 0.79 euro, enabling them to access to CAN bus data. This innovative application has its world debut in the Astra OPC with its 206 kW / 280 hp output - the sporty spearhead of Opel’s compact car portfolio.  

The CAN bus bundles the signals from the different vehicle areas. So far, only highly specialized work shops were able to access this information using specialist software. Now however, Opel is now giving car enthusiasts the chance to receive selected, performance-related data by offering the OPC PowerApp. This opens up a whole new world to drive enthusiasts who want the latest technology.  

The fun offered by the OPC PowerApp does not just end when the engine is switched off. Not only are up to sixty different data, including engine boost pressure, throttle position, lateral acceleration or engine torque, readily available in real time on the iPhone but they can also be stored and later compared with friends. A lap time recorder connected to GPS data appeals to racing fans, for example those who use the legendary Nürburgring track and want to analyze and improve their performances on the Nordschleife stretch.

In this way, braking points and section speeds can be analyzed. However, in addition the G-forces can be measured inside specific bends. 

  

In order to get the most out of the wealth of functions offered by the OPC PowerApp a black box or smart phone controller that can be ordered by customers and is installed behind the interior panels. It can be installed ex works or easily retrofitted on request by Opel dealerships. The module is directly connected to the CAN bus of the vehicle and transmits its data with a frequency of 30 Hertz to the iPhone which is equivalent to real time. An optionally available FlexDock iPhone cradle can also be installed to offer even better access and visibility of the PowerApp data. In that sense, the mobile phone acts as an additional instrument inside the cabin, recording all the data.  

Seven different display modes complete with the OPC logo and colors are available to the user including an analog instrument, a G-force meter, a digital display and over / under steer indicator, a bar chart, a line graph and a map. The OPC PowerApp works on iPhones (starting at the third generation), iPad 2 and iPod Touch and will also be available for Android systems by early 2013.