Vehicle density of the nation’s highways results in so much information input to the drivers’ eyes that the limit of his ability to perceive and react is being approached. The Ford Radio Road Alert is a new method of providing information to the driver in a more easily used form. It uses coded messages from roadside transmitters which trigger a memory storage in the vehicle and cause recorded announcements to be made through the car radio whether it is on or off. A logic circuit automatically overrides a message being received if one of a more critical nature is required. The driver is assured of receiving the radio messages in a consistent format, with constant volume, and in all weather conditions.
A method is provided to make this system compatible with vehicles not so equipped with reduced advantages. The Road Alert is a critical portion of the over-all vehicle communications system which would include two-way convenience communications and ability to receive audio signs. At present, the Citizens Radio Service is used, although the concept will apply to other portions of the radio spectrum. Emergency calling assistance is provided by HELP (Highway Emergency Locating Plan) sponsored by the Automobile Manufacturers Association.
Using the Radio Road Alert as a building block, it will be possible to control vehicle speed automatically. The over-all system which results is compatible with emergency calling, driver guidance, and automation of traffic flow with computer control of the vehicle speeds. These concepts, formerly a dream, are now capable of realization with hardware which already exists and which need only to be engineered for production.