Volvo Car Corporation has announced that it has joined the CAR 2 CAR Communication Consortium (C2CCC), an organisation founded by a number of European carmakers, vehicle suppliers, research institutes as well as other partners.

The organisation is tasked with creating a common platform for vehicle to vehicle communication within the next five years. This will enable cars to communicate with each other as well as the surrounding traffic environment, resulting in a safer and more comfortable commute.

Volvo recently signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the members of the C2CCC regarding the implementation of standardised technology for communication between cars from 2016 and beyond. The aim is for inter-car communication to function between all cars, regardless of which firm produced the vehicle.

The inter-vehicle communication takes place by way of a wireless network, in a similar way to how PCs, portable devices, and Wi-Fi-enabled office printers communicate over an office’s WLAN, for instance. Additionally, it also makes use of existing in-vehicle communication systems including the GPS navigation system.

CAR 2 CAR has been granted a separate frequency so that cars within a given radius are automatically linked together and can exchange information about driving parameters, the likes of their position, speed and direction. Additionally, the installation of transmitters within the existing road infrastructure, including road signs and traffic lights, will further boost this communication network.

Examples of possible application areas for this new technology includes warning drivers about dangerous driving conditions up ahead such as flooded roads due to heavy rain, whilst construction vehicles performing road works will also be able to transmit info to other cars well in advance of the construction site.

“In the future we will have advanced exchange of vital information between vehicles such as their position, speed and direction,” said Erik Israelsson, project leader for cooperative ITS (Intelligent Transport Systems) at Volvo Car Corporation.

“There is considerable potential in this area as well as opportunities for many benefits in many spheres over and above road safety, such as a more uniform flow of traffic and additional comfort for road users,” Israelsson concluded.

In other car related news, Ford recently launched the all-new Focus ST locally, with the sporty hatch going on sale in South Africa this November.