Honda [ HMC ] has developed a form of vehicle - to - vehicle communication called Safe Swarm , based on the behaviour of schools of fish . Safe Swarm allows vehicles to pass information along to other vehicles nearby , for example about a potential traffic jam miles ahead , making it easier for drivers to avoid problems before they arrive . This concept demonstrates the increasing connectivity between cars , something which will ultimately benefit autonomous vehicles , but with the potential to save lives in the meantime , even before self - driving becomes mainstream . Curation Comment Autonomous electric vehicles do n’t just promise smarter cars , but smarter traffic networks . Honda ’s Safe Swarm , which is similar to the drone swarm technology http://www.popularmechanics.com/military/aviation/a24675/pentagon-autonomous-swarming-drones/">demoed in a recent video by the US Department of Defence would mean the end of traffic lights as vehicles happily negotiate their way through junctions with tolerances ( and a level of tolerance ) that humans could never achieve . Regulators will not arrive in this area until EVs have already hit mass market price points , but as these cars will be safer than their dumb ICE predecessors at every stage of the transition insurers will be able to attract customers by offering lower premiums to those who make the switch . Widespread consumer take - up of offers like this would push down used ICE car prices , which in turn could precipitate a debt crisis in the dangerously sub - prime US auto - loan sector , a risk we ’ve flagged several times over the last year .
Honda [HMC] has developed a form of vehicle-to-vehicle communication called Safe Swarm, modelled on the behaviour of schools of fish. Safe Swarm allows vehicles to pass information along to other vehicles nearby, for example about a potential traffic jam miles ahead, making it easier for drivers to avoid problems before they happen. This concept demonstrates the increasing connectivity between cars, something which would ultimately benefit autonomous vehicles, but with the potential to save lives in the meantime, even before self-driving becomes mainstream. Curation Comment Autonomous electric vehicles don’t just promise smarter cars, but smarter traffic networks. Honda’s Safe Swarm, which is similar to the drone swarm technology http://www.popularmechanics.com/military/aviation/a24675/pentagon-autonomous-swarming-drones/">demoed in a recent video by the US Department of Defence could mean the end of traffic lights as vehicles happily negotiate their way through junctions with tolerances (and a level of tolerance) that humans could never manage. Regulators will not act in this area until EVs have already hit mass market price points, but as these cars will be safer than their dumb ICE predecessors at every stage of the transition insurers will be able to attract customers by offering lower premiums to those who make the switch. Widespread consumer take-up of offers like this would push down used ICE car prices, which in turn could precipitate a debt crisis in the dangerously sub-prime US auto-loan sector, a risk we’ve flagged several times over the last year.