Future cars must 'talk to each other'

WASHINGTON — The Obama administration says it wants to require future cars and trucks be equipped with technology that enables them to warn each other of potential danger in order to avoid collisions.

The US National Traffic Safety Administration said in a research report released on Monday (August 18) that such technology could prevent an estimated 592 000 left-turn and intersection crashes a year, saving 1083 lives.

NEW RULES FOR AUTOMAKERS

The safety administration also announced that it was taking the first step toward drafting rules to require automakers to include the technology in new cars.

The technology uses a radio signal that continually transmits a vehicle's position, heading, speed and other information. Similarly equipped cars and trucks receive the information and their computers alert the driver to an impending collision.