CELLULAR, SECURITY challenge vehicle-to-vehicle's role

Telematics links provide many of the benefits of V2V that government regulators are now mandating, while security issues pose major technical challenges, with secure communications a key hurdle for V2V's rollout.

Safety proponents are looking forward to the day when cars can send each other information that can prevent accidents. But cellular technologies may eliminate some benefits of vehicle-to-vehicle communications, while difficult security concerns require a complex, long-term strategy.

Vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) and vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) communications use dedicated short range communications (DSRC) to provide information on vehicle speed and location. Commonly lumped together as V2X, the technologies can play a major role in reducing accidents. Government regulators in the U.S. and Europe are expected to mandate their use before long. In Japan, shipments are beginning to build, giving the industry a working model.