Turning cars into wireless network nodes

(Image courtesy of Roland Piquepaille's Technology Trends)

Here is another example of sensor networks meshing with mobility networks, converging to form the intelligent infrastructures of the future:

Everyday, our cars are using more computing technology, primarily for safety reasons. So why not turning them into computer nodes of a mobile network? This is what UCLA engineers are working on. According to them, this would just need the relatively low-cost addition of sensors to the vehicle's roof and bumpers. They say their mobile ad-hoc networking platform (MANET) would allow 'moving vehicles within a range of 100 to 300 meters of each other to connect and create a network of cars.' Of course, not every driver would like to be part of this network because of privacy concerns. This is why 'the first mobile networks will be implemented in emergency response vehicles such as police cars, ambulances and hazardous materials response units.

Also, You'll find more details by looking at the MobEyes research project home page. This is one of the projects handled by the Network Research Lab at UCLA Computer Science Department, where computer science professor Mario Gerla and researcher Giovanni Pau are trying to turn your cars into wireless networking nodes.

** The brand new site for the activities on Vehicular networks with posts on all the news, software, and updates on the project can be linked to from here

A worthwhile project - and nice guys!

Read in full - 'Turning cars into wireless network nodes'

Via Roland Piquepaille's Technology Trends

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