Ford plans new wireless tech for cars

Ford Motor Co said it plans to roll out a wireless technology for its new vehicle models in the United States, starting 2022, that will allow direct communication between connected devices.

The new technology called C-V2X, or cellular vehicle-to-everything,  would augment sensors used in self-driving cars making the vehicle's view from radars and cameras more comprehensive.

“C-V2X could complement these systems in ways similar to how our sense of hearing complements our vision,” said Don Butler, executive director for Ford’s connected vehicle platform.

Ford said in November it expects to launch self-driving vehicles for sale by 2021, when a new vehicle architecture designed specifically for autonomous systems is expected to be ready.

The new technology will help cars to quickly send and receive information about their surrounding environment, helping drivers know what’s ahead of them before they can encounter it, the company said.

Navigating four-way stops would become easier with the technology, said Ford, as vehicles will be able to communicate with each other to negotiate which one has the right of way.