Some of the latest connected-car technology showcased by General Motors isn?t being developed inside its technical center in Warren, in suburban Detroit. It?s being developed on the public streets nearby.
Along with state and county transportation agencies, the company has outfitted traffic lights at two intersections near its facility in Warren, Michigan, with technology that transmits signal information to vehicles, whose drivers can then better avoid situations where they either need to brake abruptly or race through a busy intersection while the light?s still yellow.
So far, certain Cadillac CTS sedans in the company?s test fleet are equipped to receive the real-time information, which arrives via a Dedicated Short-Range Communications (DSRC) frequency. But like many competitors, GM has big ambitions for the vehicle-to-infrastructure technology. The federal government is in the final stages of crafting rules that would mandate that all new vehicles carry equipment for enabling DSRC communications; among other things, the system can deliver critical safety messages and information on road conditions and potential hazards.

The proposed rules are centered on communication among vehicles, but V2I communication?between vehicles and infrastructure, such as traffic lights?remains an important component of the plan, especially when considering the long-awaited $1 trillion in federal infrastructure spending that could be on the horizon.
Former National Highway Traffic Safety A...